More Than Words
by Miss Barrowmaniac
Summary: Albus starts Hogwarts, but things don't go quite as he expected. With less support from his brother and cousins than he hoped, the responsibility falls to his new friend, Scorpius. WARNING: SLASH! This means a gay relationship. Don't like it, don't read!
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **More than words

**Author: **Miss Barrowmaniac

**Characters: **Albus Severus Potter/Scorpius Malfoy, and I plan another adult M/M couple for later on.

**Summary: **Albus starts Hogwarts, but things don't go quite as he expected. Finding less support from his brother and cousins than he'd hoped, the responsibility falls to his new best friend, Scorpius.

**Disclaimers: **I do not own anything. I don't make any money with any of it either, but I do have a lot of fun. And hopefully entertain my readers as well. But it all belongs to JK, Warner and all the others. So don't sue me!

**Warnings: **This is a slash story, which means it contains a romantic/sexual relationship between two men. A gay relationship. So if you don't like it, please go back or close the page, because nobody is forcing you to read it. I won't take any homophobic comments.

**Author's note: **Most of the story is just like it was on the books. But I've salvaged one character from the war, and he's back with full power, if slightly different from what he used to be. Well, war does change people, right? And I'll change a few things about his storyline, but nothing that will make him unrecognizable.

**Author's note 2: **I intend to update this story as often as possible, but in case you followed my other story, Raging Fire, I must warn you I don't plan to follow the same schedule, i.e. uploading one chapter a day. It hasn't been beta'd either, so forgive me for any mistakes, spelling or otherwise. Again, if you like it (or even if you don't), and you can spare a few minutes, leave me a review. I won't post any faster or any slower because of it, but it'll make me very happy!

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**More Than Words**

**Chapter One**

Albus watched as his family disappeared in the distance, before being completely gone after a bend on the road. He turned his attention briefly to the people sharing the cabin with him: his brother James, who laughed loudly at some joke his best friend Jordan had told; Jordan Green, a slim boy with auburn hair and hazel eyes who'd spent a part of his summer vacations at his house; his cousin Rose, also distracted with their conversation and, most of all, Frank Longbottom II, who was a year older than them and had inherited all the best physical features from both his parents, and surprisingly none of their clumsiness. From what he'd heard from James, even though he was just a first year - now second-, he already had quite a few girls on his tail. Not more than James himself, of course. His brother said something apparently funny, and turned to him with those eyes that read he was up to something. Albus smiled the best he could, turning his eyes out the window.

"Hey, Al?" James called, touching his shoulder. When the boy turned back, all eyes were on him, and he blushed slightly, trying to focus on his brother. "What's wrong? You seem weird."

Rose nodded, agreeing. "You're not still worried about what James said, are you? About Slytherin?"

The boy shook his head, attempting another smile. The truth was, he was worried about that, but not only that. James had told him so much about Hogwarts, and all they'd do together, but now there was no denying he was a different person at school. Albus had tried to believe nothing would change between them, but he could tell by the weeks Jordan spent with them that it was a lie. And he was already too smart to believe in such things.

"Al, I was just teasing you." He said seriously, one hand still on the boy's shoulder. "Both mom's and dad's families have always been Gryffindors. You don't have a choice."

"You should've seen your brother being selected, Al." Jordan smiled at him. "They barely had time to put the hat on his head before it screamed, 'Gryffindor!' " The boy tried to mimic the hat's voice, making them smile.

"It'll be the same with you, little brother." He tried to give the boy a reassuring smile, but James's smiles were never reassuring. They were always naughty, and all the older Weasleys used to say it reminded them of twins' smiles, back when they were twins. Albus had never seen first-hand a smile from his uncle George. "Anything, Al, anything at all that's bothering you, you know you can talk to me, okay?" James asked, and the boy nodded.

"And me too, Al." Rose smiled at him.

"All of us, Al." Frank reassured, but before he had a chance to thank them - let alone expose his troubles - a couple of boys opened the door to their cabin abruptly, laughing and talking loudly.

In a matter of minutes, everybody sitting with Albus had left, forgetting about the boy, not even looking back when they walked out the door. Even Rose was gone, following Frank excitedly, to see whatever he'd promised to show her. The boy sighed, looking out the window and watching the landscape rushing past. He was almost asleep when a knock on the door made him jump on his seat as a blond boy stuck his head in.

"Hi. Do you mind if I join you? Everywhere else is full." Had his father and uncle been there, they would've recognized the scene. Ron in particular would've been very worried it would lead to the same kind of friendship he had with Harry. Even after all those years, Weasleys and Malfoys still didn't really get along.

Albus smiled shyly at him, nodding and watching the boy take the seat across from him. The blonde leaned forward, offering a hand.

"I'm Scorpius Malfoy."

"So you're Malfoy!" He said surprised, making the other boy frown and pull back his hand. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!" He apologized immediately. "It was very rude of me. Can we try again?" He asked smiling, tilting his head sideways a little and sticking a hand out. "I'm Albus Severus Potter."

"Potter?" The boy asked equally surprised, before quickly shaking his hand.

"I guess you've heard of me too, then." Albus said, blushing slightly.

"Of course I have. Your father is Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Saved-The-World." He said with a light tone of irony in his voice, making the other boy laugh. "What?"

"Nothing. That's what everybody says. He's always been pretty normal to me."

"My dad says he was a nightmare in school."

"That's what my uncle Ron says about your dad as well." They smiled at each other, and before they could say anything else, the trolley lady stopped by their door.

"Would you like anything from the trolley, dears?"

"I want pumpkin juice and some Chocolate Frogs." Albus asked, reaching into his pockets for some coins.

"I'll have the same." Scorpius asked, and added after a second, "And a box of Bertie Bott's beans."

"There you go." She handed over their orders with a smile. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your ride."

"Thanks!" They said simultaneously, and looked at each other with a smile before laughing of that.

"Who d'you get?" Albus asked the boy opening a Chocolate Frog, while doing the same himself.

"Dumbledore. You?"

"My dad." They smiled. "You collect them?"

"My dad doesn't really like me eating candy." Scorpius shrugged. "Do you?"

"My brother does. I never really thought it was any fun."

"Older brother?"

"Yeah. Third year this year."

"Gryffindor, I suppose?"

"How did you know?" He asked surprised.

"Potter with Weasley. Couldn't be any different." He smiled. "Just like I'm bound to go to Slytherin. My whole family has."

"My brother keeps saying I'll end up in Slytherin." He said quietly.

"It's not a bad place, you know."

"James says Slytherins are evil and become Dark Wizards."

"Well, then he knows nothing." He said decisively, and smiled after a second. Albus smiled back. "I'm going to Slytherin and I'm proud of it. And I'm not going to be a Dark Wizard."

They just looked at each other for a moment, before smiling shyly, both blushing, before spending several minutes in silence, eating their sweets. They talked and laughed during most of the trip, and Albus was really glad he'd found a friend. Especially because he somehow knew they'd be good friends.

They had just heard the announcement telling them they were almost at their destination and should get ready, and were finishing putting on their school robes when James and the others returned. All of them, but especially the oldest Potter boy, weren't happy at all about the unexpected guest.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" He looked the boy up and down.

"What?" He looked slightly confused at the other student, Albus mimicking his expression.

"Get out. Leave my brother alone." James's voice was almost disgusted, and some of the other kids behind him also spared hatred looks to the blond boy.

"What are you doing, James?" Albus asked revolted, getting in between the other two, who already had both their wands drawn.

"Stay out of it, Al. I don't want you near scum like him."

"Scum? What about you, Potter? Take pleasure in harassing little kids, do you?"

"Shut up, you two!" Albus frowned and said loudly, surprising them all. "Scorpius is my friend, okay, James? And I won't allow you to talk to him like that. Come on, Scorp. We're done here already." He grabbed the boy by the hand and dragged him through the other kids, leaving several astounded faces behind.

"What was that all about?" James wondered out loud, slowly walking into the cabin. It was the first time he and Albus argued at all, and the first time he saw his brother raise his voice like that.

"Haven't you warned him about the Malfoys?" Jordan asked, reaching for his robes.

"I did! Or I thought I had. We shouldn't have left him alone earlier."

"I thought he'd just follow us." The auburn blond replied, shrugging.

"I'll talk to him later. Put some sense into his head." James concluded, letting himself fall back on his seat and playing with his wand.

"James? Don't you think maybe you were a little hard on him?" Frank asked a moment later, sitting back down, slightly bothered by how close Rose was to him.

"He's a bloody Malfoy, Frankie." He stated like it was all that needed to be said.

They stayed in silence for the remainder of the trip. James was upset about his brother, Jordan knew better than to try and talk to him, Frank figured it wasn't any of his business, and had pulled out a book, and Rose was trying to read over Frank's shoulder, leaving the boy rather restless. James was still a little upset when they arrived at Hogsmeade, but quickly him and Jordan began whispering about all the pranks they were planning for that year, and were already very excited when they boarded the carriages with the invisible horses.

Albus and Scorpius had walked almost to the end of the train, running away from the oldest Potter. The brunet was still mad, and only stopped walking - still dragging the other boy - when the blond forced him to. He looked angrily at his friend, but soon realized he wasn't facing his brother and his features quickly softened.

"You shouldn't be so upset about that, you know." Scorpius said quietly.

"I should! He had no right to treat you like that! He doesn't even know you!" He started pacing around, in the limited space of the hallway.

"It's not worth it, Al." He thought it was a bit strange to be treating each other by nicknames already, but since the boy had used one for him, he figured he'd return the favor. "I know that because of... my family history, there will be a lot of that. Dad warned me about it."

"Still! You haven't done anything!"

"Albus!" He said loudly, grabbing the boy by his shoulders and forcing their eyes to meet. "Forget it. And get used to it, okay?" The boy reluctantly nodded. "Good. And go apologize to your brother later."

"He's the one who should apologize!" He complained, but just for the sake of it. Most of his anger had already evaporated, and he wasn't sure if it was because the moment had passed or because of the blond's interference. He didn't remember ever being that angry, though he'd witnessed more than a few fits thrown by both his siblings.

"But so will you. Okay? Now-" He had to grab the boy with one hand and the handle of a cabin door in order not to fall as the train stopped.

"Are you okay?" Albus asked, once they were steady at their feet. "I guess we arrived." He gave him a half-smile.

"They could've been subtler." He complained under his breath, making the other boy giggle. "Come on. We don't want to be late."

Because they were at the end of the train, they were the last students to reach Hagrid and the vessels at the lake, ending up just the two of them in the last boat. It had been quite a long while since the first day of school met the students without a heavy rain, and the soft summer breeze played with their hairs, making both boys smile. After watching the castle appear for a few minutes, Albus was caught off-guard by a splash of water, and looking to his right, saw a smiley Scorpius pretending nothing had happened.

Deciding to play along, the brunet splashed the other boy, and the game went on for a short while, until the boat began rocking too much and they almost fell into the water. After a scared look - and some reproving looks from a few kids on the boats ahead - they laughed easily, and tried to behave for the rest of the trip.

Albus only saw Rose again once they were warm inside the castle, waiting to be taken for the sorting ceremony. She shyly approached him - who was still firmly set on staying beside Scorpius - and asked if he was okay. He smiled happily at her, almost as if nothing had happened, before whispering something in the blond's ear, and sharing a smile with him. The redhead girl didn't seem too pleased, but before she could say anything, a professor appeared before them and requested their attention.

"Welcome, students, to Hogwarts. My name is Ethan Williamson, and I'll be teaching you Transfiguration. In a few moments, we'll proceed to the Great Hall, where you'll be sorted into one of our four houses. Those are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. While you're at school, your house will be your family, and you can count on your fellow students, Prefects and all the staff to help you, should you have any problems. Here, points are awarded for achievements, and taken away for misbehaving, so I must warn you all to watch your steps while in school. Now, if you'll all follow me, we must go."

The professor smiled at them, turning his back and leading them to the Great Hall. He seemed rather young and cheery, perhaps because of his well-shaved face and long, dark hair tied in a low ponytail. Albus noticed some girls smiling a little too much as they followed the thin man, and a quick glance to the blond walking beside him later, he could barely contain his laughter. But their nerves attacked again as they entered the other room, where a couple hundreds of students chattered excitedly. The room went quiet as they made their way to the other side, where a small stool waited for them, with a battered hat sitting on top of it.

"Are you okay, Al?" The blond asked in a whisper, noticing the boy looked even paler than he had before, and didn't push it any further as he got a nod in reply. But a few moments later, he felt a hand searching for his own, and though it was really strange for him, he let the brunet take it. Last thing he wanted was the boy passing out beside him from being so nervous.

"I will now start calling your names. When I do, please step forward and take a sit." The same man who welcomed him earlier said, a piece of parchment floating a little to his left and the hat on his hand, once the hat was done singing. "Scarlett Anderson." He called, and a girl with dark blond hair and light blue eyes nervously stepped forward, and after a few seconds on her head, the hat sent her to Ravenclaw.

All the students cheered loudly as each student was sorted, and Albus grew more apprehensive as his turn approached. He felt Scorpius let his hand go as his name was called, and caught a reassuring look as the blond walked ahead. He crossed his arms over his chest, and watched as the hat almost instantly put him in Slytherin. He saw the boy smile at him as he walked to his table, and after another girl sent to Hufflepuff, his turn finally arrived.

"Mr. Albus Severus Potter."

The boy hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath, and sat on the stool. The hat covered his eyes partially, and he almost jumped on his seat as he heard it talk to him. "This is a familiar head, boy. I remember one very similar not too long ago." Albus nervously looked up, trying to keep his legs still. His hands held the edges of the stool so strongly the tips of his fingers were white. "Torn between Gryffindor and Slytherin, are you?"

"I-I guess." He thought, and almost jumped again as the hat responded to it.

"You know, another boy just like you had a great stay at Gryffindor, but I always wondered if he wouldn't have been more successful on Slytherin."

"Then why did you send him to Gryffindor?" He asked curiously. He got distracted with the talk, and began relaxing. A little far away, sitting in one of the tables, James was growing apprehensive with the time the hat was taking. From the three ceremonies he'd seen, that was by far the longest the hat took.

"He asked me to. But I don't sense such a strong inclination in you."

"I... Don't mind either way. My brother wants me to go to Gryffindor, but..."

"But you're not too sure you want to join him? Very interesting. In that case, I better send you to-" And then his voice sounded to the whole room, "Slytherin!"

Almost all students dropped their jaws in shock. Nobody applauded for a few tense seconds, and Scorpius was the only one smiling at the snake table. The blond was also the first to start clapping, followed by the Headmistress and some of the professors and older students. The boy felt a little uneasy for the commotion he'd caused, but was smiling as he sat down. The Transfiguration Professor was getting ready to call the next name on the list - in an attempt to dissipate the tenseness that took over the room -, but a third-year student stood up, surprising everybody, and started almost screaming, to nobody in particular.

"No! That's a mistake! Albus can't go to Slytherin! He belongs in Gryffindor!" James's voice sounded clear through the hall, and he looked around the staff table for a moment before settling his eyes on the person in the center. "Headmistress! You have to do something!"

"Mr. Potter, sit down." She asked, standing up herself. "There has been no mistakes. Your brother has been sorted, and that's the end of it."

"But Headmistress!"

"And if you can't control yourself, Mr. Potter, I'll have Mr. Filch escort you to your dormitory." She looked severely at him, and after a tense moment, the boy sat down, with virtually all eyes on him. "You may proceed, Ethan." She told the man who nodded and followed the list.

There were only a few students left, Rose among them, and the hat almost immediately put her in Gryffindor, like should've happened to Albus, James thought. But the little boy was glad to be sitting by his new friend, and the two chatted excitedly all throughout dinner, especially when the ghosts made their appearance. A couple of hours later, the Headmistress requested their attention for a few announcements before sending them off to bed. Albus was smiling and walking with his fellow first years when James pulled him aside.

"What are you doing?" He asked angrily, pulling his arm away and rubbing where his brother had grabbed him a little too strongly.

"I'll talk to McGonagall. There's obviously been some mistake. You'll be in Gryffindor by tomorrow, so don't worry." He said decisively, making his brother even angrier. Then he turned to the blond. "Don't dare lay a finger on him, Malfoy, or I'll make sure you regret it." The boy turned to leave.

"It wasn't a mistake, James!" He said to his brother's back, making him turn around. "I chose Slytherin."

"What are you talking about? Nobody can choose." He shook his head confusedly.

"I could. And so could dad. And I chose Slytherin." His voice was lower now, but so firm it took a few moments for his brother to process what he was saying. That wasn't his little brother, he thought.

"Why would you do that, Al? What about all we would do together?"

"All we would do together?" He asked, exasperated. "It's like I don't even exist when your precious friends are around!"

"Of course not, Al! You're, you're my little brother!"

"The one you abandoned in the train? Or the one you ignored while Jordan was staying with us? Which one, James?"

"That's enough." They heard a voice behind them and jumped in their places before turning around.

"P-Professor Snape." James stammered. So that was the dreaded Potions Master? Albus suddenly understood why one would be scared of him.

"Mr. Potter. I believe the Headmistress instructed all students to return to their houses, am I wrong?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

Albus could see his brother swallowing hard before replying. "No, sir." His friends were as nervous as him, and took a half-step back.

"Then what are you still doing here?"

"I-I was talking to my brother, sir."

"Now is not the time. So off to your dorm before I take the points you haven't even earned yet." He ordered, and more than quickly the boys rushed off the room. Turning to Albus and Scorpius, who were now a little scared of him as well, he said, "The two of you should also go. As I don't believe you know your way around the castle yet, I'll take you there." Without waiting for them, he billowed his cloak and started walking.

Sharing a quick glance, the boys ran a few steps to catch up, but luckily the man had some trouble walking - he was assisted by a black cane - and they didn't have to really run to stay beside him. He still walked pretty fast, though, Albus thought, much more than his parents normally did. They followed in silence to the dungeons, and after watching him say the password - the Fens -, saw almost in amazement the wall give way to a short passageway leading to their common room. As the professor walked in, the older students greeted him politely and quickly made their way up to their dorms, leaving all the first-years alone with the man.

"All of you, please have a seat." He sat himself in an armchair, and all the others gathered around him, on the couches and on the floor. There were ten of them in total, four boys and six girls. "I am your Head of House, Severus Snape. I am also the Potions Professor and Deputy Headmaster. While you're at school, any problems you have can be brought to any of your Prefects or directly to me. There are a few more things you ought to be aware of. Breakfast is served everyday between six and seven-thirty. Classes start at a quarter to eight, giving you enough time to fetch your material, should you ever forget anything. Lunch is from noon to two in the afternoon, and dinner from six to eight. Should you fail to arrive at the Great Hall in time, you will be deprived of a meal. Also, curfew for all students is at nine, and any student caught out of their Common Rooms later than that will be punished with loss of house points and detentions. The password changes every fortnight, so be sure to keep an eye on the notice board if you do not wish to be trapped outside." He ran his eyes through the kids, seeing most of the expressions he always saw, ranging from focused to sleepy, but his attention was quickly captured by two boys whispering to each other. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy. Is there anything you would like to share with the rest of us?"

"Uh, it's just..." Scorpius started, a little embarrassed. He knew Snape from a few social visits he'd made to his dad, and the two seemed pretty close. He was also his dad's favorite professor, and he was the one person in the castle he was actually eager to impress.

"I was just telling Scorp that you're the man I'm named after." Albus smiled at him, and Snape sighed, noticing that he'd have those emerald-green eyes haunting him once again. "My dad said you're the bravest man he ever knew."

"Did he, now?" He raised an eyebrow, making the blond - and all other students - look down, but the brunet just smiled and nodded. Snape seemed unaffected by the information. "Either way, while I'm talking is not the time to..." He narrowed his eyes. "... Chatter."

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Just don't do it again." He said, shaking his head slightly. He would always protect his Slytherins, but he never expected Potter would be one of them. Any Potter. "Are there any more questions about what I was saying before?" All the students shook their heads, and one or two tried to repress a yawn. "Very well. Off to bed, all of you." He stood up and left without looking back.

Albus and Scorpius made their way in silence to their dorm, their eyes already heavy, and didn't even bother unpacking before collapsing in their beds. They were about to start what they always heard would be the most exciting years of their lives, and if the day hadn't been eventful enough, the nervous energy had drained their last resources. The room went quiet within a few minutes and all four boys slept peacefully all night long.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Both Albus and Scorpius were very excited as they found their way to the Great Hall, the other two boys they shared the dorm with following closely behind. It took them longer than they hoped to get to the right place - none of the four really remembered which way to go -, but eventually they ran into some older students and sighed relieved as they sat down for breakfast. The room was still rather empty, excitement had the boys up earlier than usual; but all the professors already filled the table, and some older students ruffled their hairs and smiled as they passed by.

"What's the first class today, Scorp?" He asked, bringing another crispy bacon to his plate.

"History of Magic." It was a dark-haired boy who replied. His name was Thales McQuillen, and he was a little taller than both of them, his very dark eyes unusually gentle and warm, at least for Slytherin's standards. "My brother told me it's the dullest subject in school."

Albus nodded. "James told me he hasn't made a whole class awake yet." They giggled. "Isn't it mean to put it first thing on a Monday, then?"

"Maybe they thought it would help us stay awake since we just got out of bed." The boy sitting beside Thales shrugged, grabbing a large fork of waffles and scrambled eggs, topped with bacon. Lynus Kinlan was a short boy with light brown hair and bluish eyes, the last member of their dorm. The four didn't have the chance to talk much the night before, but had every intention of catching up during the first meal of the day.

About half an hour later, when the four had eaten all they could and laughed at little tales they shared, Albus couldn't help tuning his eyes to the door as James walked in, followed by two other boys, Jordan and someone he didn't know. The two exchanged a brief look, hurt and angry at each other, before the older Potter took a seat at his own table and turned his attention back to his friends. After a few uncomfortable moments, the boy stood up, getting the others' attention.

"Where are you going, Al? There's still half an hour before class." Scorpius raised his eyebrows, surprised.

"We should get to the classroom. We don't know where it is anyway, so it could take a while." He muttered back, swinging his backpack over one shoulder and walking out without looking back.

"Catch up with you guys later." Scorpius apologized to the shrugging boys before running a few steps and reaching the other boy just outside the Great Hall. "Al, wait up!" He called, getting no response. "Albus!" He grabbed the boy by an arm, making him turn around. He expected him to be angry, but not to the point of having tears in his eyes. "What happened?" He asked, dragging the boy out of the way and behind a statue. After a few moments waiting for a reply, he offered, "James again?"

Albus nodded once. "He's... He's... A dork." He said in a low voice. He didn't even know why he was so upset about it, but he wiped the tears with a rough move, taking a deep breath. "He's a dork." He repeated again.

Scorpius smiled a little, making the boy frown. "Yes, he is. But he's not worth being this upset over, Al." He pushed the other's shoulder lightly, making his lips curl up.

"I know." He rubbed his eyes again, and tried another smile, adjusting the backpack on both shoulders this time.

"History of Magic. Classroom 4F." He read from a piece of parchment slightly crumpled pulled out from a pocket. "First floor, I think. Let's go find it?" He invited with a smile, and after a brief nod, the two of them walked up the Marble Staircase side by side.

They were the first to reach the classroom, and took seats in a middle row. Slowly, the room filled, and they realized they were sharing the class with Ravenclaws. Scorpius was secretly pleased not to be around the Gryffindors; he knew that redhead girl would annoy Albus, and didn't feel like calming him down again. It was too exhausting for someone who grew up alone, and wasn't much around other people. He briefly wondered if the boy was always like that, but something in the back of his mind told him it was very atypical of the brunet to have his emotions in such evidence. His musings were interrupted by a small ghost who introduced himself as their professor, and began his lecture in a low and monotonous voice, making no less than two-thirds of them fall asleep in record-breaking four minutes.

As Albus still seemed upset, the blond began passing notes with funny comments to him, and as they would quickly learn, as long as they kept their voices low, the professor didn't seem aware of their parallel activities. The notes kept them awake for almost half of the class, but eventually they joined their colleagues and fell soundly asleep. When the bell rang, their faces were slightly red where they leaned over their hands, and they took a little longer than they should've to collect their material and leave the room. The other half of the morning would be filled by Herbology, out in the gardens, and it was a relief to leave the castle when the sun shone so brightly above their heads.

They took a quick trip to their dorm before lunch - they were slightly impressed at how fast they learned to get there - to leave their bags over their beds before returning to the Great Hall, quickly filling up with students. They still had almost an hour before their last class of the day - double Potions - when they finished eating, and thought they could spend that time outside, in one of the many courtyards they'd heard about. As they walked through the large doors, Frank pulled Albus aside, and asked for a few minutes. The youngest boy nodded, and the other excused himself quickly, even though he wouldn't have minded the company.

"What is it, Frankie?" He asked with a smile, as they walked through the front doors and sat on the first step.

"I wanted to apologize for James's behavior yesterday. It was really rude and uncalled for."

"_He_ said those things, not you. So you don't have to apologize for anything." He was unsure what to feel, and smiled again.

"I know. But he's too angry to do that for a while. And you deserve to hear that. That boy does as well, what's his name?"

"Scorpius."

"Well, tell him I'm sorry for what was said on the train. And the threat after the feast."

"I will."

"One more thing, Al. Is it true that you chose to go to Slytherin and not Gryffindor?"

"Yes." He said firmly, and the other boy looked curiously at him.

"Why, if I may ask? I thought you'd want to be with all of us."

"Because... Well, the hat said it would be good for me. And James was doing everything he accuses Slytherins of, while Scorp was by my side all the time." He let his eyes contemplate the grounds for a moment before looking back to the boy beside him with a smile. "Besides, it wouldn't be any different from home at Gryffindor. There's almost only our family there!"

"That is true." He smiled, standing up. "Come on. I think your friend is getting impatient already." He tilted his head towards the door, where they caught a blond head trying to hide.

"Thanks, Frankie. For supporting me." He said honestly, also standing.

"That's what I'm here for, Al." He pushed him lightly with an elbow. "Did you know your brother already got himself a week's detention for arguing with McGonagall that you should be in Gryffindor? He went to her office earlier, and she wasn't pleased at all." Albus tried to hide a laughter behind his hands as the blond joined them. "What's your next class?"

"Potions." Scorpius answered, still looking a little doubtfully to the boy.

"Watch out for Snape. He protects Slytherins, but don't push it. You don't want to see him angry." He advised, turning back to the Great Hall. "See you guys later!" He waved before turning around.

"Everything okay?" The blond asked after a moment, and the other nodded with a smile. "Good. What you thing we should do now?"

"I don't know. I wanted to look around, but I don't want to be late for class."

"Let's just unpack. We can explore on Saturday." He suggested, and they were on their way to the dungeons when Albus remembered.

"Scorp! I have to write to my mom!" He held the boy by the shoulder, making him stop.

"What for?" He frowned a little.

"To tell her about yesterday. The sorting and... Well, I don't really want to talk about the other stuff." He looked away for a moment, and they began walking back.

"You're serious? You're writing your mom just to tell her you're in Slytherin and not in Gryffindor?" He raised an eyebrow. It wasn't so much that he minded walking to the owlery, but it didn't seem to him a worthy enough subject to waste so much effort with.

"Of course! I promised them I would. Aren't you writing your mom?"

"What for? We already knew what house I'd end up in anyway." He shrugged.

"I think she would appreciate it. Especially because you're an only child, Scorp. And she's your mom." He insisted, pushing him with an elbow.

"Okay, fine, if you'll stop bugging me." He pretended to be annoyed for a moment before smiling.

The boys actually spent quite some time writing their letters, and the blond was the last to finish. They had to walk a little faster to make it back to their dorm in time to fetch their belongings, and most of the students were already excitedly talking around the door and in the room when they arrived. Luckily that class was just around the corner from the Slytherin dungeon, and they were there with a few minutes to spare.

It was only as they entered the Potions Classroom that they realized they would be sharing that class with Gryffindors, and Scorpius tensed a bit when he saw Rose on the first row. But Albus just greeted her happily before choosing a table for both of them on the other side of the room. The blond took out his textbook and opened it on the first potion he knew they'd be learning - Cure for Boils, it was always the first potion Snape taught - and sat erectly as he waited in silence. The brunet beside him giggled quietly.

"I guess you like potions, then?"

Scorpius smiled his broadest smile, turning to his friend. "Absolutely. It's going to be my favorite subject, I'm sure."

"How can you know?" He asked, amused.

"Dad taught me some things at home. Brewing potions was always my favorite. And I already know how to do this one." He bragged.

"Nobody at home really likes Potions." Albus confided, still smiling. "Dad said-"

But Scorpius would never find out what Harry had said, for at that moment Snape walked soundly into the room, distributing killer looks to all of them. After his traditional opening speech - which hadn't changed in all his years at the school -, he put the instructions on the board and sat at his desk, daring any of them to make a sound. After a while, he started walking through the stations, evaluating the work of his pupils, rolling his eyes more than once and making quite a few potions vanish. When they were finally done, he ordered them all to leave a phial with what they'd produced on his desk - or at least those who still had potions, as the others were assigned six inches of parchment on the production, effects and uses of Cure for Boils as punishment -, and was very surprised to see Albus's results, even if there was no trace of it on his face.

When the boy had approached his table - his eyes beaming like he remembered Lily's to when they talked -, the blond was by his side, looking a lot more solemn than the other, and they left their results almost simultaneously in front of him. He already expected the Malfoy boy to show good results - Draco always had, and from what he knew about the boy, he was as interested in the subject as his father had been before him -, but coming from Potter, it was a real surprise. He didn't have any difficulties remembering what a tragedy the boy's father had always been in his class, and with a little more effort, he also remembered James's results - both the first and the second - weren't anything short of ordinary at best. Perhaps it came from his mother, since the youngest Weasley had always performed in his class, or more likely from his grandmother - Lily had always been the only one who truly understood his passion for Potions, and shared his admiration for the subject.

Things went smoothly the whole class, but bells went off in Scorpius head when Rose pulled Albus aside as they left the classroom. He followed them through an empty hallway, doing his best not to be seen, just in case his friend needed help. The boy didn't seem very used to confrontations, and the redhead was a little too aggressive for all he cared.

"Is it true, Al? That you _chose _Slytherin?" She asked hurt, the feeling evident in her voice.

"It is." He said as firmly as he could. The blond wondered how many times the boy would have to repeat that until people believed him.

"Why? Why would you want to be near those... those..."

"Don't you dare say anything bad about them, Rose." He said, interrupting her. "They're not the ones questioning me, they just accepted me with them like you should be doing. All of you."

"James got a week's detention because of you, you know." She was trying to make him feel guilty? That was a dirty trick, Scorpius thought, revolted. What happened to the greatness of the Gryffindors?

"It serves him well. I told him it was my choice and he tried to go over my head. He doesn't own me, nor controls my life. Tell him that the next time you see him." He said, turning his back to her, and making the blond smile. "Come on, Scorp. We shouldn't let homework build up." He called as he walked back to the main hallway, towards him. The boy blushed slightly as they returned to their common room.

"How did you know I was there?" He asked after a few minutes. They were both sitting at a table in a corner, books and parchments spread all over.

"For a Slytherin, you're terrible at being sneaky." He smiled.

"And you're much better than me, are you?" He teased.

"Well, I've had my fair share of hiding from James to be done. In case you don't know it yet, he loves to pull pranks, and there weren't many of us around the house to use as target."

"Is it so?" He raised a doubtful eyebrow, and the other boy nodded. "Well, you better teach me then. I don't want to disgrace the Slytherin name." They giggled, turning their attention back to the work before them.

That first week went by pretty quickly, between classes and homework. The replies to their letters came a few days later, both their mothers really happy for them - and Scorpius's, thankful for his new friend's common sense to make him write -, and other than a few less-than-friendly looks when they met, Albus and James didn't argue again. The boys decided to use their Saturday afternoon to explore the castle, along with their roommates. There were so many rooms and passages there that most of the time they weren't sure if they were exploring or lost and trying to find their way back. It was almost dinner time and they had finally reached the stairs down to the dungeons when a bucket of red paint fell on Scorpius's head, making all of them scream in surprise. Albus's first reaction was to look around and find James and Jordan laughing openly at them.

While the blond cast a spell over himself to get clean again, the other boy marched towards his older brother, anger sparkling from his eyes. So maybe that wasn't the worst prank he could pull, but he still shouldn't have done that, to his friends or to anyone. Luckily Scorpius saw him in time and kept them all from getting detentions for fighting, because it looked like Albus was ready to abandon his wand and use his bare hands to get revenge.

"Stop it, Al. It's not worth it." He insisted, pulling him away and trying to ignore the boys laughing at him.

"We have to do something! We, we... We'll go to Professor Snape!" He looked up, to find the other boy shaking his head. "Why not? He deserves to be punished! And-"

"He's your brother, Al." He said seriously.

"Still! He has no business bullying you or anyone!"

"And we don't have proof, either. Just forget it. It didn't hurt anyone, and I don't want to get in trouble." He insisted, watching from the corner of his eye as the two third-years walked away. "Don't let it upset you. Let's go get ready for dinner, I'm hungry after walking so much." He smiled, and the other boy shyly returned him.

Albus couldn't help wondering why it upset him so much. It wasn't the first time James had done something to make him mad, but all the other times he'd managed to keep himself under control. With another deep breath, he started piling food up on his plate. After a few minutes, he was smiling and chatting to his friends again, all four of them slightly overwhelmed with the amount of homework already assigned, but happy to be learning so much.

Deep in thought, Albus remained a long time lying in his bed that night, his eyes on the ceiling, making shapes from the weak shadows formed from the greenish glow coming from the lake. He was surprised at how fast he'd gotten attached to Scorpius; normally it took him a long time to trust anyone, but within a few hours, he already chose the blond over his own brother. But James was wrong, and he never understood anything that wasn't about him, he thought angrily. Not once he seriously apologized or thought about what he was doing; and he hated how all his cousins seemed to think that was so funny, taking it so lightly. Maybe spending so long away from him had lowered is tolerance to the other boy, he thought with a half-smile.

"Still awake?" He heard Scorpius ask, pulling him out of his musings.

"Yeah. Got distracted thinking."

"You seem to do that a lot, when you're not ranting about your brother." He said smiling to the dark, and heard a soft giggle from the bed beside his. "What was it this time?"

"James." He said, sticking his tongue out and forgetting the other boy wouldn't see. "It's alright, though. I don't think I'm as mad anymore."

"And what changed?"

"I don't know. I guess I forgot he can be like that sometimes. And had my expectations too high. It's just... I thought we had it all planned, you know? James never mentioned his friends, he always made it sound like it would be just the two of us conquering the school." He laughed softly. "He made me feel we were the same age, that we were the same. But we're not, and that's fine. I just have to remember that. And make him understand it."

"Looks like you got it all figured out."

Albus smiled, and they stayed quiet for a moment. "Why are you still awake?"

"Why are you?"

"I tend to lose track of time when I'm in bed. Too many thoughts in my head."

"Isn't it always like that?" Scorpius smiled. "I was just listening to the sounds of the castle. I've always liked the night better than the day, for some reason, even though my parents never let me stay up late."

"Good thing we don't have class tomorrow."

"Yeah." Another few minutes went by without either saying anything. "Good night, Al." He said at last, turning to one side.

" 'Night, Scorp." He replied, pulling the covers over his shoulders. He fell asleep with a smile on his lips.

The next day, things really seemed better, at least from Albus's side. When their eyes met across the Great Hall, the boy didn't get angry or leave, even after the incident of the night before; and the couple of times they ran into each other - and of course they would, because the castle couldn't be big enough when James didn't want to see his little brother -, even though he ignored the other boy, who looked angrily at him, he continued smiling from their conversation. Maybe he really did have it all figured out, Scorpius thought, wondering how it would be like to have siblings and feeling really lucky to be a single child and not have anyone to argue with.

It had been a whole week since the Potter brothers last spoke to each other properly. It was by far the longest they stayed mad at each other, and except for the time James had spent at school - and their only communication was through letters -, they'd never spent so long without talking, without laughing together.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Harry sighed in his office at the Ministry. There was still so much paperwork to be done that day, and his body already hurt from sitting for too long. That was not what he aspired to when he decided to attend Auror training, once the war had ended. It took him two years to graduate, and by then most Death Eaters remaining had been captured, so other than the occasional chase, he'd been assigned to handle minor incidents involving magic and enough red tape for two or three lifetimes. Peeking out the window, he saw the sun shining and thought about his boys back at school.

The day before, they left both of them at the station, and returned home with the only one child not old enough to go to Hogwarts. He laughed of her complaints all the way home - they'd chosen to take a cab from the muggle exit of the King's Cross Station that delivered them at Grimmauld Place. After a good clean-up and a lot of redecorating, the house had become very homey, and the kids loved living there. During the first years of their marriage, they'd considered buying a new place, but Ginny was gone most of the time, playing with the Holy Harpies, and as a consequence, he spent as much time at work as he could.

When the family finally started growing, they were both too comfortable in the house to leave, and all of the sudden there was a baby to take care of, then two and three, and moving just left their minds for good. Now that had crossed his mind again, especially since, in two years' time, it would be just the two of them in all that space again. It was already too silent that night, with Lily in bed early and both him and Ginny minding their own businesses.

Truth was, they had drifted apart. The first few years were great, but perhaps it was the distance that increased their need for each other. They met once a month, rarely more, and their nights were always steamy, but after James, and specially after Lily, they never seemed to have time for that anymore. And at least for Harry, he didn't miss it either. It made him feel very guilty, but he couldn't help admitting they were probably together for the kids and the convenience, not for themselves. He sighed, shaking his head and trying to push the thoughts away.

"Hey mate. You alright?" Ron was standing at his door with a smile.

"Hey, Ron. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to join me for lunch? Ginny has been bugging me to make sure you eat. She said you lost some weight." He shrugged, and they smiled at each other.

"Uh, sure, why not? Give me a minute, and I'll be right there with you." He said, turning back to his desk and throwing all the papers into the first drawer, which he magically locked a moment later. He'd thing about organizing them when they returned. Ron was waiting for him by the elevators, and Hermione had joined him. "What about we go to that pub in the muggle side? I miss that steak." He smiled as they entered the elevator, and the other two agreed.

The place they went was a clean, small pub three blocks away from the Ministry building. They'd discovered it a few years before, while obliviating the employees who'd witnessed some accidental magic from a young boy. The smell was so delicious they just had to come back and try, and since then, they ate there at least twice a month. They entered, greeting the bartender and the waitresses, before choosing a table on a corner that allowed them to keep an eye on the door. After the war and with two aurors on the table, it couldn't be any different.

"Miss Albus too much yet?" Ron joked as they sat down.

"He was always a pretty quiet boy, I guess. And you're the ones who must be having the hardest time, Rose being the first one."

"Hugo makes sure the house is as chaotic as always." Hermione smiled, accepting the menu and running her eyes through it before ordering the usual, as did the boys.

"But I must admit I'm happy there's one less know-it-all in the house." The redhead whispered to his best friend, but loud enough for the girl to hear him, getting himself a slap on the arm. "Ouch!"

"It's your daughter you're talking about, you know!" She pretended to be angry.

"Well, but I kind of know what you mean. It was a bit of an improvement to be able to walk around the house without worrying about being pranked all the time, after James went to Hogwarts." He smiled. "I don't know how you managed growing up with two pranksters, Ron."

"Well, there were more of us for them to target as well." He smiled back, slightly uncomfortable. The truth was, nobody really talked about Fred, even after such a long time of his death. Especially if they were around George, who never recovered from the loss, even though he married and had his own children - Fred II and Roxane, both older than James -, he was never the same. There was a constant air of abandonment and sadness over him that not even his kids managed to lift.

They remained in silence for a few minutes, unsure where to take the conversation next, and Hermione figured the kids at school would be safe enough. "Albus was really nervous about being sorted, wasn't he? Rose said James was always picking on him."

"He was afraid of going to Slytherin." Harry confirmed with a nod.

"That's impossible, mate. Weasley and Potter, always Gryffindors." Ron smiled.

"Well, I wouldn't mind either way, to be honest. I think it would bother Ginny more than me."

"And me!" Ron said a little louder, earning himself a strict look from his wife, to whom he looked apologetically before leaving a soft peck on her lips. Harry looked away, slightly bothered. "And why Slytherin? He's smart, maybe he goes to Ravenclaw. But those are the only conceivable choices, really."

"It was just James teasing him. Telling him all you told me about that house on our first day, in the train." He paused and frowned for a moment, a few memories running through his mind. "What have you been telling my sons, Ron?"

The redhead blushed slightly, looking away. "Ronald?" The girl asked severely.

"I didn't say anything bad. Just the usual stuff, you know, about how they're mean and tend to become dark wizards. Nothing they wouldn't have figured out in no time at school."

"Ron!" His wife complained. "You shouldn't say things like that! We're trying to _integrate _them all, end all that division and prejudice, and you're fanning the fire?" She seemed really upset, and Harry wondered if they would end up fighting again. It happened at least a few times a week, and always ended with Ron apologizing and doing some small romantic gesture like buying her flowers or chocolate.

"Okay, I'm sorry! But it's true, isn't it?"

"Thanks for terrifying my son, mate." Harry tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't help smiling. "He'll be fine. I told him it wasn't important to us, as long as he was happy."

"But you do know that I'll kill him if he ends up in the same house as that Malfoy kid, right?" He joked.

"Ron!" Hermione was preparing another lecture when their food arrived, and they decided to drop the subject.

After over an hour talking, they agreed it was time to return. Much as he had hated it in the beginning, now Harry didn't mind that their fame allowed them a few privileges, like taking longer on their breaks without anyone complaining about it. Harry sighed as he sat back on his desk, pulling the papers out once again. Maybe it was true he could quit his job and never do anything again, but even though he wasn't too fond of it, it made him feel better to be doing something, instead of sitting around and spending his family fortune - which had practically doubled its size with the addition of the Black property, left for him by Sirius.

The day was almost over, and he had signed his last report when an owl knocked on his window, waiting impatiently to be let in. Harry knew that animal very well, it belonged to Hogwarts and they met at least a dozen times just during the last school year. It was the one designed to take all sorts of notifications to the parents, and a few minutes later, he was a little surprised - but not too much - to read James had already landed his first detentions of the year. It bothered him more how fast it'd happened than the fact that James was being punished; he'd taken after not only his namesakes, but also his twin uncles, and had quite the gift for getting in trouble.

Harry wondered for a moment how many of similar notes Molly must've received during all the years her children attended school, while putting it away on his inside pocket. He seriously considered hiding it from Ginny, she always got pretty upset when those arrived, but he had full confidence that the professors would deal with his son's mischief adequately. He grabbed his satchel and left the office, politely greeting everybody he met on the way out, and apparated right outside number 12. Lily still got startled with the apparition sounds, especially with the way it echoed in closed spaces.

He found the table set as usual, his wife finishing dinner and his little girl mimicking her with her toys, but he could tell by the redhead's body language that something was wrong. She seemed upset, maybe even angry, and he couldn't help wondering what had happened, but learned a long time before that such conversations were better if left for after the children were tucked in. They ate in silence, the only noises being Lily telling him about her day at the primary school she attended. After they were done eating, he volunteered to bathe her - he felt guilty for staying away for so long during the day - and all he'd miss once they went to Hogwarts -, so Harry spent as much time with his kids as he could once he got home. And he tried to spoil them as much as his common sense would allow, especially when it came to his little girl.

After reading her a story and tucking her in, he watched Lily from the threshold for a few minutes until her breathing became even and he was sure she was asleep. He walked down taking a deep breath, and found Ginny in the office by the fire, holding two letters slightly crumpled in one hand. At least she wasn't crying, which had to be a good sign, he thought, sitting beside her in the large armchair.

"What happened?" He asked softly, pulling her chin up with one finger. He couldn't read her eyes, and it worried him.

"It's James and Albus. They've been fighting, and they've only been at school for a day."

"I suppose James's detentions would have something to do with that, then." He tried to smile, but Ginny only looked more worried.

"What you mean, detentions?"

He pulled out the letter he'd received earlier and handed it to her. "McGonagall gave him a week." He sounded mildly amused, receiving an angry look from the brown eyes. "Why were they fighting anyway?"

"Albus was sorted to Slytherin." She said a low voice.

"And?" He raised an eyebrow.

"What you mean, and? He should be in Gryffindor! And to make matters worse, his new best friend is that Malfoy boy!" She was angry, and stood up.

"Let him be, Gin. We'll know if anything bad happens. I told him that he could ask the hat to put him in Gryffindor if he really wanted to, so I guess he had his reasons to want otherwise. Besides, it's no big deal. Slytherin isn't what it used to be, and just because the boy is Malfoy's son, it doesn't mean he's like Malfoy was. From what I heard, he's been a lot better since the war ended." He leaned back, arms spread and his left ankle resting on his right knee.

"He's still a Malfoy! He can't be a good influence!"

"Gin, he'll be fine. He's a bright kid, and I'm sure we'll know if anything goes bad. And you'll be able to see that for yourself when he returns home for Christmas."

"How can you be so relaxed?" She asked, frustrated.

"I trust my son." He said simply, standing up and putting his arms around her. "But if it'll make you feel any better, I'll send a letter to Professor Snape, and have him report us the whole situation. Is that better?" He felt the woman nod on his shoulder and take a few deep breaths before looking up again.

"I'm sorry I freaked out. It's just that I never imagined it would happen."

"Don't worry, Gin. They're good kids, they'll be fine." He smiled at her, and she left a soft peck on his lips before taking a step back.

"I still got some work to do." She explained, walking out with a smile. Once Ginny was gone, Harry sighed, pouring himself a glass of Fire Whisky and sat by the fire. There was a lot going on in his head, and as he started relaxing, he allowed his mind to wander through all his worries.

It had been a surprise to find out Albus had been sorted to Slytherin, especially after the talk they had at the platform. Maybe the boys' discussion had something to do with that, but he thought it would be good for his youngest boy to have some independence from James. From what he could observe, the boy was always under his brother's shadow, though probably it was more because James's personality was so expansive and loud. And the new Slytherin - the criteria for the sorting and the profile of the students had changed since the war - seemed like the best place for the boy. He was a bit shy, and Gryffindors were too loud and impulsive for him to fit in.

Harry smiled when he thought of how different his boys were, and how much they'd taken after their namesakes. James was extroverted, joyful and explosive, always planning the next prank and making them smile (most of the time). Even the way he talked sometimes, reminded Harry of the short time he'd spent with his godfather, always with that amused air about him that tended to bring people up. Albus, on the other hand, was much more introverted, even as a toddler; he was never one to cry much, and when he learned how to walk, they never had to chase after him around the house like they had with the other boy. He always measured both his words and his actions before doing anything, which made him look much older than his years, and except for once or twice he'd been in a little more pain, he'd never seen the boy altered, not from anger nor joy.

Which made it all the more curious that they had actually fought, enough to get James in detention _with the Headmistress_. He noticed the slight change in the boy's behavior when his friend spent a few weeks with them, not too long ago, but he knew kids were different around each other, and hadn't given that a second thought. And even though Albus was very quiet, he was also very sensitive, and it wouldn't take his brother much to hurt his feelings. It had happened before, the boy just hadn't let it show, amazing everybody who knew him at the control he had exerted over himself.

Then he remembered his days in the castle, and couldn't help smiling at the memories. They were so many, good and bad. The castle destroyed after the war, and rebuilt within a year, by professors and former students who didn't want to deprive the children from a decent education. Most of the staff had been preserved, the biggest absence being Snape, who everybody thought was dead. Slughorn had agreed to remain Professor of Potions until a replacement was found, and then he planned to return for good to his retirement and, now the war was over, he would finally be able to properly enjoy it.

Hogwarts had been running for over a year when Snape mysteriously appeared at the school, demanding to talk to McGonagall. Nobody knew what had been said, or how he'd survived - he never volunteered the information, and everybody was too scared of him to ask -, but he was quickly reinstated to his former position, the only scar from what he'd been through being his partially paralyzed right leg, forcing him to adopt a black wooden cane. From what he'd heard - he hadn't yet had the chance to talk to the man properly, and thank him -, it didn't slow him down in the least, and if anything, gave him another reason to punish students and be rude to everybody else.

After his alleged death, the Ministry had focused on prosecuting all known Death Eaters as fast as they could, being as severe as possible with the punishment, in an attempt to regain some of its credibility. Snape had only been saved by Harry's testimonial, and the memories, both the ones he collected from the man himself at the Shrieking Shack and others left by Dumbledore specifically for that purpose. The Ministry decided that forgiveness was enough of a reward for the spy, despite Harry's constant claims he should receive at least an Order of Merlin, First Class.

Remembering his promise to his wife, Harry took out a parchment from the first drawer of the desk and sat down to write a letter to Snape. He didn't know what to say; after so many years hating him, he'd seen a whole new side of him through the memories, and never had anyone to discuss it all with. Not even Ginny; he never felt she would really understand the magnitude of it all. And now he had to write the man and ask him about his son - who couldn't be under better care, in his opinion -, just because things didn't go exactly according to plan.

After long minutes, he went past the first line, and with some more effort - and an extremely formal tone to his words -, he signed his name on the bottom and left it on the desk, to be sent the first thing the next morning. Snape would probably have his head on a plate faster than he could say 'sorry' if he was disturbed by a parental letter that late at night. Smiling at the thought, he made his way to his bedroom, and as quietly as he could, lay down on his side of the bed, trying not to wake Ginny up. As had been happening for quite a few weeks, he took a long time to fall asleep, and woke up exhausted the next morning. He normally left before the others woke up, and he did his best to look presentable as he walked out.

When he sat down with his best friends for lunch that day, he knew he would have to tell them about Albus's sorting. They would know through Rose anyway, and it was for the best that they - specially Ron - had plenty of time to digest it before the kids returned for the holidays. He didn't want his son to be bullied by his own uncle. But to his surprise - though it shouldn't have been, since Rose took after Hermione so much - the girl had already informed her parents of everything going on at school - even with more detail than his own children had.

"So that was it." Harry concluded, after they told him what happened on the train. "He was hurt. And then James - influenced by _somebody's _talking -" He looked at Ron, who blushed slightly and tried to pretend he didn't know what he was talking about. "- began harassing the only person who gave him any attention the whole trip. And his being in Slytherin only made matters worse; I'll bet it was James who was offended then." He smiled, amused.

"That's bad, Harry." Hermione said worriedly, seeing his reaction. "They shouldn't be fighting, they're brothers."

"Like I never fought with any of my siblings." Ron replied. He was, after all the only one of them who'd grown up with brothers and sisters. "They'll be fine, you'll see. Well, at least as far as the fighting goes. I don't know if Albus will be alright in Slytherin, Harry, especially if he's befriended the little Malfoy. Maybe you should do something about it, you know. I'm sure if you talked to McGonagall, you'd manage to have him transferred to Gryffindor and-"

"I'm not doing that, Ron. It was his choice to be in Slytherin. And I'm not worried about Malfoy. I trust Albus will know to step away from him if he thinks he's a bad influence."

"He's eleven Harry, no matter how bright he is." Ron argued, and Hermione nodded in agreement. "You can't expect him to know that much."

"Well, either way, I sent a letter to Snape this morning, and if there's anything wrong I trust he'll be able to sort it out."

"Snape? Tell me again why you trust that man?" Ron frowned. It didn't seem to matter to him all that'd been proved at the trial, he still hated their former Professor as much as when they were students, and wasn't willing to give him a vote of confidence.

"I'm not getting into this with you again, Ron."

"Well, I'll ask Rose to keep us informed about their situation, and if I find anything else, I'll make sure to tell you, Harry." Hermione tried to reassure him.

"Mione, don't. I know Albus, he would hate her sticking her nose in his business more than I did when it was you." He smiled, and the girl frowned slightly. "They're kids, they have to make their own mistakes. And again, I trust them. So let's just drop it, okay?" He pleaded, and the other two nodded.

He could see his best friends still weren't too certain, but gave them his best reassuring smile and trusted Hermione would take care of making Ron accept it. The rest of the meal went smoothly, and Harry was surprised to realize he was actually anxious for Snape's reply. Bits of the letter kept coming back to his head all day, and he began wondering if he'd put everything the best way possible. He was very disappointed not to see an owl addressed to him all day long.

A very well-maintained, black-and-white owl entered the Great Hall that morning, standing out from the wave of mostly-brown owls that delivered newspapers and letters to the students. Severus never bothered looking up; there was rarely any mail for him, especially in the mornings. So it was a big surprise for him to see the beautiful animal land graciously before him, waiting patiently for the letter to be unattached from his leg before flying away. Some other staff members also turned their heads, but a look from him later, it was almost like it had never happened. Just two boys, among the several children enjoying their first meal of the day, recognized the animal, and swallowed hard wondering what it contained.

Severus quickly got his letter and didn't bother looking up as the animal once again took the skies. He thought he recognized vaguely the handwriting on the front of the envelope, and as he turned it around, realized why. Harry Potter's name was dashed down, still in his crumply hand-writing, and he decided to put it away instead of opening where everybody could see it. Not that they all didn't know what it contained - a loud complaint about his middle child ending up in his house instead of Gryffindor -, but he knew it would probably upset him more than it would be recommended for such an early time in the morning. He just couldn't figure out why the letter had been addressed to him and not to Minerva.

The day was terrible as it always was. Now he was positive the students were worse every year, and he dreaded to think what kind of dunderheads he'd have to teach in five years' time. After dinner, he finally remembered the letter carelessly tucked in his inside pocket, and sat down to read. He was truly surprised at the respectful tone he found, in strong contrast with the general attitude of the boy he thought. At least he grew up, he thought with a small sneer. But the content was also very unexpected. Severus didn't know how to react when he read Potter believed his son couldn't be in better hands - specially after the boy's _revelation_ that the man thought he was the bravest person he knew -, and relieved he wouldn't have to argue the school rules with overprotective parents.

The first thing he asked was about the boys' fight. Severus had been tempted to say they're - unfortunately - just kids being kids, but decided to elaborate a little more, describing the little discussion after the Welcoming Feast he overheard. Then he wanted to know how Albus was adjusting - even though he said he thought the boy would be fine, but his wife - the youngest Weasley, wasn't it? - was freaking out about it. She'd probably taken after her mother. Finally, he asked to be informed if anything happened - which he would be anyway, but perhaps it was just parental insecurity. He'd lost count of how many letters he'd received asking him to inform if their children tripped on a hallway or sneezed in a class. Even though he thought of his Slytherins as his children, he was never really able to understand all that excessive concern, and usually replied - when he bothered replying - very rudely and shortly. Especially since most parents now had been his students, so they knew not to expect anything else from him. He left the letter on his desk, beside a pile of already corrected summer homework, and moved on to the third-year essays. Nobody was in danger; Potter could wait another day for his reply.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The second week of class went by faster than they expected; the four boys quickly adjusting to their new routine. All the Slytherin first-years were growing closer each day, including the girls, even though Thales would much rather their group be boys only. Comments on that line always made Albus laugh; having grown up around so many cousins, plus his siblings, he got along with girls just fine, but knew the other boy had only two brothers to play with at home, so the opposite sex was as much a mystery to him as some books on Ancient Runes and Arithmancy they saw some older students use once.

Another weekend came around without the Potter boys exchanging any words. James still looked angrily at them - and one time Scorpius crossed paths with the boy without Albus by his side, the brunet hadn't bothered being discreet at all with his very unpleasant comment about the blond. Albus, on the other hand, had decided to ignore his older brother - and all cousins who'd taken his side, for that matter, and those were quite a few - until the boy apologized to both of them.

Scorpius sighed, sitting down beside him for lunch that Sunday. His best friend pretended to be just fine, but it was obvious to him how hurt he still was, no matter how good the brunet was at hiding his feelings. "Okay, Al, that's enough." He said, standing up and leaving his food still untouched in his plate. He'd just witnessed James's angry look their way and Albus trying to ignore him, but with that gleam of pain in the back of his eyes that broke the blond's heart.

"What are you talking about, Scorp?" He looked up confused.

"Come on. Get up."

"What for?" He asked as he did what his friend had asked.

"You're apologizing to your brother right now, even if I have to force you to." Albus opened his mouth to complain, but Scorpius interrupted him, dragging the boy by the arm to the Gryffindor table. "And I don't care if you think it was his fault, or that he's the one who should apologize. At least _you _will, and I'll make sure of it."

They stood behind James, who was loudly laughing of something. It took the boy a minute to notice his friends were looking _past _him, and he turned around, smiling maliciously at the blond. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"Al has something to tell you." He replied firmly, unaffected by the others' expressions.

"And he needs _you_ to talk to his own brother, now?" He mocked and laughed.

It made Scorpius mad to know what such comment would do to his friend's feelings, and he took a deep breath to steady himself before speaking again. "I am of the opinion that what he needs is a new brother, but you happen to be the only one he has. And if you don't care about how he feels, I do." He looked defiantly at James's eyes, and continued before the boy had a chance to protest. "Go on, Al. Say what you have to say." He pushed the boy in front of him - he'd practically been hiding behind Scorpius - and left a reassuring hand in his arm after he received a very insecure look.

Albus closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "I am sorry for yelling at you, James. I was upset. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings, but before you bring any of it up, I'm happy to be in Slytherin, and Scorpius is my friend, so I won't forgive you if you do anything to him."

So Scorpius hadn't anticipated that last bit, but it was always good to hear such things. The boys waited for a moment for James to say something, but after a couple of quiet minutes, they turned their backs and walked back to their own table. The blond could tell his best friend was happy to have that off his shoulders by his honest smile, and the two devoured large plates of delicious food, unaware of the pair of very black eyes following their every movement from the staff table.

Between classes, homework and getting to know each other better, Albus was surprised to realize Halloween was just around the corner when the Headmistress announced the special feast they'd planned and the subsequent ball for all students from the fourth year and up. Somewhere along the way, Frank had talked to them and the three began frequently hanging out after class and on the weekends, and the boy gladly helped his juniors with school. He was easily the best student in his year, and just loved to learn, constantly complementing the boys' knowledge with not-always-useful information. Because of their friendship, Rose distanced herself from Frank as well, and the boy confessed, one afternoon they were sitting out in the gardens, that it was a relief. The girl was nice, but could be suffocating at times, and didn't take criticism well at all, making him afraid of saying anything and ending up the target of a Weasley's anger.

"Isn't it weird to have your dad as your professor?" Scorpius asked after a few minutes, when they finally managed to stop laughing of Rose's behavior.

Frank shrugged. "It's much like it was at home, when we were in his greenhouse. The only difference is that never calls me by my first name, of course."

"I don't know if I'd like it if it were my dad." Albus said, thoughtful.

"And I definitely wouldn't like it to be mine." The blond smiled. "He'd be awfully strict with everybody. And he scares me sometimes, when he's angry." He confessed, and they smiled. Then Scorpius frowned for a moment, getting curious looks from the other two. "Who's your mom? You don't carry her last name or anything."

"Luna Lovegood. She never changed her name when she married dad, but I don't know why I don't have both last names. Maybe it would sound weird." He smiled, and after a expectant look from the blond boy, he continued. "She's alright. A little... dreamy, I think, but dad says she was always like that. And she loves us, so it's fine."

"She's the one with the blue eyes, then?" Scorpius recalled the image of their Herbology professor, and didn't remember him having eyes of the same color.

Frank nodded. "My hair is also a little lighter than his because mom's blonde. But my sister Gabby is just like her. You'll see when she starts Hogwarts in a few years."

"It's true. I've seen pictures of aunt Luna of when she was little. It's almost like they're the same person." Albus agreed.

"You've know each other long?" The blond raised an eyebrow.

"Our moms were best friends at school." Albus smiled.

"It explains a lot." He smiled. "You're like cousins then?" Both boys looked at each other briefly before nodding and smiling. "How many cousins can a person have, Al?" He joked.

"Don't you have any, Scorpius?" Frank asked, frowning a little. He remembered reading his father was an only child, but didn't his mother have a sister?

"Well, two, but they live in France, and I've only met them a couple of times. They're older than me, and I think they attend Beauxbatons."

"Cool." Albus smiled, and the blond shook his head slightly.

Soon the conversation changed topics, and it was almost dinner time, so the boys bid their goodbyes before heading each to their own dorms. Albus shivered a little when he entered the dungeons; they'd been sitting out in the sun and he'd forgotten to take a coat for when he returned. Scorpius had mocked him for that, gaining a light punch on the shoulder, and they were still laughing together when they made their way to the Great Hall.

Even though the Potter boys had begun talking again - not a lot, true, but progress was progress -, James still refused to apologize - in spite of Frank's many advices -, putting a strain on the brothers' relationship that made it very hard for them to return to what they used to be. They knew through the letters that their mother worried about that, and their dad had asked them to be nice to one another once, but didn't really bring it up again. He said he trusted them to do the right thing, even if Albus seriously doubted James even knew what the right thing was.

The Saturday before the Halloween Party (which would actually happen on the 29th, since the 31st was a school day), the students were allowed to visit Hogsmeade, and Albus only knew that because James came back right after lunch looking for him. He was on his captive seat in the library, reviewing the essays he'd written for the following week, and when the older boy entered the room, he was stretching his sore arms and smiling, satisfied with his work. And a look over to the left told him Scorpius was also happy with what he'd written.

James was happier than he thought he'd be to see his little brother smile like that. A few weeks earlier, he'd admitted to himself he'd been wrong to say what he said on their first day, and only then noticed Albus was walking around with his head slightly down, smiling less than he used to. And it made him feel terribly guilty, the way he normally didn't. But between admitting his mistakes to himself and gathering the courage to go over his pride and actually apologize, he'd taken a long time planning the exact words he'd have to say, and the best moment to say them, until weeks had passed and he realized he'd done nothing.

Taking a deep breath, he walked into the room, his eyes fixed on his brother's table. The Hogsmeade visit had come in handy; he took his chance to purchase some candy for both boys as an apology. And unlike most of the kids his year, he wasn't really excited about the village, having been there several times before with his cousin Fred, now a seventh-year, who'd learned about a secret passage through his dad. He'd chosen a variety of treats, unsure which one they preferred, and couldn't help the annoying voice in the back of his head telling him he didn't even know which sweet was Albus's favorite.

"Hi, Al. Malfoy." He tried not to spit out that name as he normally did; his brother would've probably kicked him out immediately if he had. But it still came out less friendly than he would've liked.

"Hi James." He smiled, putting away some of his parchments and giving the boy some space on the table.

"Potter." Scorpius said in much the same tone the other had, keeping his eyes on James and closely following his every move. The brunet wondered when the boy had become so protective of his little brother. "What do you want?"

He took a deep breath to keep himself from delivering a rude reply, remembering why he was there. "I want..." His voice failed him, and he cleaned his throat. "I want to apologize." He looked everywhere but at the boys. His cheeks gained some color, much to Albus's fascination. Only a handful of times his brother had felt guilty enough to blush. "To both of you. I shouldn't have said what I said. It was... rude and uncalled for. And..." He tried to remember what else Frank had told him to say, but the memories of those conversations were too blurry for him to make out any words. He shook his head slightly, offering a small bag to each of them. "This is for you. To make up for that."

Albus took his share happily, while the blond boy raised a justifiably suspicious eyebrow as he carefully reached for the bag. After a thorough look inside, he seemed satisfied enough and put it in his backpack, at the same time Albus did, having put a Liquorice Wand in his mouth.

"Thank you, Potter. I accept your apologies." Scorpius said quickly before looking back to his last homework of the week. He would've rather not have said anything, but his perfect Malfoy education didn't let him. He did, however, catch from the corner of his eye the brightest smile he'd seen Albus give yet, and couldn't keep his own lips from curling upwards.

"Are we good now?" James asked hesitantly, watching the candy go up and down as his brother nodded, and smiled. That was one of the things he loved to do, he remembered. Since he was little, he'd put the Liquorice Wand on his mouth and leave it hanging until he finished it. "Do you... want to go do something, maybe?"

"Like what?" His voice was slightly muffled; he was trying to speak with the candy between his teeth. Scorpius was once again paying attention to their conversation.

"Maybe we could fly a little at the Quidditch Pitch? I know your broom isn't here, but we could get you one from school. For old time's sake." He said, and couldn't help laughing a little. He just sounded like a grown up, and nothing was weirder for him. "It's been a while since we flew together."

"Who else is coming?" He asked suspiciously.

"All my friends are still at Hogsmeade." He assured.

"Can Scorpius come?" He was already throwing his belongings into his backpack.

James frowned a little before swallowing hard and nodding. "If you want him to."

Albus smiled again and turned to his best friend. "So?"

Scorpius spent a good minute analyzing James's face. He wanted to come, just in case the older boy said something he shouldn't and Albus needed someone to stand up for him. But decided that not only James was really trying to make amends with his brother, but also that the two needed to spend some time alone together to talk and fix things between them. He sighed slightly before replying. "Thanks, Al, but I really want to finish this. I'll catch up with you later." He smiled, and it was the younger brunet's turn to look at him for a few long moments.

"Okay. I'll see you in the Common Room, then." He said swinging his backpack over one shoulder. He was about to follow James - who was already at the door, apparently unable to stand being around the blond boy for longer than he needed to -, when Scorpius called him back.

"Leave that here, Al. I'll take it to the dorm, so you don't have to worry about it." He offered, and had to insist once before taking the bag from his friend and waving at him. He meant to say something else, but Madam Pince had appeared behind him, already seeming unhappy that they were talking _at all_, and he decided it would be safer to just be quiet.

When they reached the pitch, James pulled his little brother into the Gryffindor Locker Room, where his things were stored. Since the previous year, he'd made into the team - they said he was a prodigy like his dad and granddad - and played as a Chaser, which was also his favorite position to play in when they had matches at the Burrow. With a wink to him, James cast a spell on one of the other lockers and gave Albus the wand kept in it, a Nimbus 3000. It was a little outdated - he'd gotten his Nimbus 3500 for his 10th birthday - but it was still a very good broom, and enough to have some fun with. Besides, despite having a professional Quidditch Player for a mom, and the youngest Seeker in the century for a dad, Albus wasn't really into flying. It was fun, sure, but he didn't share his brother's passion.

"Come on, Al!" He called standing on the door that led to the actual pitch. "Do you want to play some? You can be the Keeper and I could try to score a few goals, and then we swap?" He offered with a smile.

The boy shook his head. "I just want to fly with you a little, if that's okay. Then we better get back in, and get ready for the Halloween Feast."

James shrugged, "Whatever you say, little brother." Tired of waiting, he went ahead, and when Albus got back outside, he was already several feet above the ground. "Come on, Al! I bet you can't catch me!" He smiled before rushing forward and upwards.

The youngest boy smiled, getting on his broom. They played that game since he was first allowed to fly alone in a broom, when he was four or five. The game went on for a few rounds - though Albus knew James was probably _letting _him win, because the boom he was on would be left far behind if the other boy really wanted to run; his Firebolt V was the newest and fastest available. But it was good fun, and they were both slightly sweaty and panting when they came back down.

"I'm glad we're good again, Al." James said as he put away the brooms. "I was starting to miss having you around."

The younger boy rolled his eyes. "Then you should've apologized earlier."

"Can I ask you something?" They were walking side by side back to the castle, a soft breeze playing with their naturally messy hair.

"Yes, I really chose Slytherin. And yes, Scorp really is my friend, and I really like him." He replied, predicting what the other would ask and leaving him in silence for a few minutes.

"Al, I accept that you like that Malfoy boy, but he's really not a good influence, you know. His family-"

"I trust him, James. He's nice, and no matter what his family did in the past, he's a good person." He tried to be patient; he knew it would take the other boy quite some effort to understand that, but that knowledge didn't keep him from being annoyed.

"The apple never falls far from the tree, you know." Albus rolled his eyes at him. What's gotten into his brother, using all those adult expressions?, he wondered. Trying to prove he can be a _big _brother? "I don't want you to get yourself in trouble."

"So I should follow your example instead?" He raised an eyebrow and watched James smile. He would need to have a grown-up explain to his brother that getting detentions wasn't something to be proud of.

"Okay, fine, maybe not mine. But perhaps Frankie's? Or Rose's?"

"Look, I love Rose, she's my cousin and all, but she's terribly annoying and nosy. I wouldn't be able to stand being around her long enough to learn anything from her, and wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did." He smiled jokingly, and James punched his arm lightly.

"I know what you mean." They walked in silence for a few more minutes, very close to the castle now. "But that Malfoy boy, Al. I don't like him, I don't trust him."

"That's because you never bothered giving him a chance!" He said a little louder than he intended. And they were finally speaking to each other again, why keep bringing that up?

"He's not worth it, Al! Uncle Ron said-"

"Then uncle Ron is a dork!" He complained, and the other boy frowned reprovingly. "Scorpius is the best thing that happened to me since I came here, Jamie. " He said in a low, soft voice. "He's my best friend, he's the only one who supported me from the start. He was there when you abandoned me in the train, when nobody accepted I'd gone to Slytherin, when I was so mad at you that I couldn't help crying." James bit his lower lip slightly at that last part. It wasn't often that his little brother cried. "He helps me with school and we can talk for hours, and it doesn't even matter about what. We never talk, Jamie, you and me. It's always you talking and me listening. But it's different with Scorp. It's like... We're really equals, you know? Because I know now you and I aren't. And that's fine, but just... Just let me have this, okay? I found something for myself, don't try to take it away just because it doesn't involve you." He kept his eyes lowered, having said more than he expected. But once he began, he couldn't really stop himself until it was all out.

"So you think I'm picking on Malfoy because I'm _jealous_?" Albus expected him to be shocked, hurt, or even indifferent, but not angry. And he felt his own rage bubbling up his stomach, because James didn't have the _right_ to be angry at him. "I'm here trying to help you, to protect you, and you keep insisting on your mistakes and now you're telling me it's because I'm _jealous_?" He'd raised his voice without even realizing. But then again, when he was angry, he didn't notice anything else. Or anyone, for that matter.

"You obviously are! You thought you could just play around with me and dispose of me when you were tired because I'd come running the next time you wanted me, and now I've found something for myself! I have a _friend_, one that's only mine, and you can't stand not being the center of everybody's life, can you James?" His voice was also louder than usual, but he was well-aware of it. It seemed like the only way to get anything through his brother's thick head.

"Shut up, Albus! You don't know anything! You're just a child!"

"And you're not?" He raised an eyebrow. They'd reached the covered bridge and were beginning to gather an audience.

"Of course not!" He sounded offended, and stood upright, trying to look taller than he really was. "I'm thirteen and-"

"Shut up, James. And don't talk to me until you've dealt with that stupid jealousy of yours." He turned to leave, bothered by the people watching him and afraid of getting in trouble for it.

"Don't you dare walk out on me, Albus!" He said loudly, grabbing the boy's arm and making him turn around. "I'm not done talking to you."

"Too bad for you, James!" He said, pulling his arm back and sharing a look of pure anger with the other boy. "Because I am done! And I'm going back to _my_ Common Room, where I can find people who actually _care_ about _me_!" He walked away loudly, and one or two students could've sworn they saw smoke coming out of his ears.

Luckily he made it to his dorm before the anger started subsiding, because what followed it were tears. Unstoppable, warm tears of anger, frustration, disappointment. He had closed the curtains around his bed as soon as he arrived, not wanting anybody to see him like that, but moments later he heard Scorpius come into the room and was torn between feeling ashamed for his reaction and wanting the comfort he knew the blond could provide him.

"Al?" The boy asked carefully, closing the door behind himself. "Are you okay?" He already knew the answer, but didn't really know how to approach the boy without making him cry even more. He walked slowly to the only bed with the dark green drapes pulled and just stuck his head in. "Do you want to talk about it?" He offered kindly to the boy lying on his stomach and with his head buried on a pillow. Getting no reply, he sighed softly before climbing on the bed with him. He crawled to the head of the bed and sat beside Albus, gently - if a little awkwardly - taking one hand to his head and playing with his hair. "It's okay, Al. You can trust me. Tell me what happened."

The brunet looked up with his eyes red and filled with tears before hiding again. Long minutes passed with the two of them like that, in silence and protected inside their little 'tent'. Scorpius smiled at that thought; he'd pulled his blankets over his head and other furniture to pretend to be camping many times, when he was little, and wondered if Albus had done the same. After long minutes, hiccups stopped shaking the brunet's body and his breathing returned to a steady pace, but the continuing silence made the blond wonder if the other boy had fallen asleep. He leaned forward, trying to see his eyes to find out, and was slightly surprise to have green eyes meet his silver ones.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" He offered again, and watched in surprise as Albus moved his head from the pillow to his lap. It was unexpected, but not uncomfortable in any way; had it been _anybody_ else in the planet, he would've pushed them away in a fraction of a second, but somehow it seemed right if it was that one boy.

"James and I fought again." He said in whisper, forcing the blond to pay more attention.

"I thought you were good again. With the flying and all."

"The flying was fun. I thought we were getting along again too. But then, when we were walking back, he started talking and..." The lump on his throat kept him from finishing the sentence, the yelled words coming back clearly to his mind, as well as a stubborn tear to his eye. He held his breath for a moment as he watched Scorpius clean it, before they both blushed and looked away.

"He was implicating with me again?" He offered after a few moments, letting his hand play with the dark brown hair once more, but being careful not to let their eyes meet. He felt the boy nod weakly. "I already told you not to fight with him over me, Al. It's not worth it."

"He kept saying you were a bad influence, and that I should have different friends, and that you would get me in trouble and-"

"He's one to talk about getting in trouble." He said quietly, their eyes meeting for a soft smile.

"Right?" He asked weakly. "Then I told him he was just jealous of you, because now it wasn't all about him in my life anymore. And then we started yelling at each other."

"It's not very much like you to yell."

"I know. But sometimes it seems like it's the only way to get him to understand anything."

"He's not nearly as bright as you." He mocked, suddenly realizing how weird it sounded. He stood up suddenly, and walked to the door. "I've got homework to finish." He announced before leaving the room.

Albus let himself stay in bed for a while longer, missing the contact from his friend. He didn't understand it, but he knew it was right for them to be that close; he did however recognize how weird it might seem from the outside and why Scorpius had run away. He just hoped things didn't get weird between them because of that; it was bad enough to be mad at James again, he couldn't do without his best friend. He smiled. Scorpius was his best friend, the best he'd ever had. And he couldn't help feeling happy at that thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Harry was sitting at his desk on the study, finishing a report he was due the day before, when the changing color of the fire caught his attention, making him look up just in time to see his two best friends walking out of the green flames. His home was always open to his friends, but they normally let him know they were coming beforehand, so alarms immediately went off in his head. As he walked around the desk, the other two dusted their clothes, and didn't return his smile.

"Is everything okay? He asked, motioning for them to sit.

"Where's Ginny?" Ron asked, still standing, looking around.

"She took Lily to the park. Standard program on Saturday afternoons. She should be back soon." He explained, frowning a little and getting slightly nervous and anxious. "What happened?" he insisted, and Hermione sighed.

"We got a letter from Rose, Harry." She said searching through her bag. "The boys have been fighting again." She finally found the piece of parchment she was looking for and handed it to him. But before he could even open it, they heard the front door followed by Ginny's voice.

"Sorry we're late, Harry! I'll start dinner right away and-" She was just passing by the study and looked through the open door, surprised to see guests. The little girl had already greeted her uncle and aunt and was sitting on her father's lap. "Is everything okay?" She asked hesitantly.

"It's the boys again, Gin." Harry said as she sat down beside him. "They've been fighting."

Ginny looked from him - who wasn't smiling, but didn't seem too worried either - to the very concerned expressions of her brother and sister-in-law. Smiling at her daughter, she said, "Why don't you go upstairs to play in your room, Lily? Mom and dad need to talk a little with Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione."

The little redhead looked at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow. She didn't like it at all when she was left out of the conversation, but after looking at her dad and seeing him nod, she jumped to the floor and ran upstairs, closing her bedroom door a little stronger than she should've. Ginny looked at Harry and then to the letter he was opening. It was about half a page filled with what was undoubtedly her niece's handwriting, but it wasn't as careful and elaborate as it used to be.

_"Dear mom and dad,_

_I know I wrote just the other day, but I think you would like to know about what happened today._

_I was just returning from a walk around the grounds after lunch when I saw James and Albus coming from the Quidditch pitch. They were smiling and talking, and I was happy they'd finally made up._

_I meant to go to them and say hi, but before I could, they started yelling at each other, and I couldn't help overhearing what they were saying. I mean, by the time they got to the Covered Bridge and stopped walking, there was probably a dozen kids watching them._

_They were arguing about that Malfoy boy again. I don't think Albus should be friends with him. Since they met, he's been acting really weird, getting into fights with James and ignoring anybody who tries to tell him Malfoy's a bad influence and that he should ask to be transferred to Gryffindor. Even me, mom!_

_All he ever does is to be with that boy. I mean, he even began talking to us again after he apologized to James - and I why would he even do that if he didn't mean it? I wasn't there, but I heard he dragged Malfoy even to do that. - but he's very rude to us when we try to tell him that boy is bad news._

_I'm worried about him. He's nothing like he used to be anymore, and I don't know what to do. Maybe you could talk to his mom and dad and they could put some sense into his head._

_Love,_

_Rose."_

Harry's first thought was that his niece probably wasn't just _passing by_ and _accidentally_ overheard them, but when he looked at Ginny after returning the letter, she was flushed and frowning, and he couldn't tell if it was from frustration or anger.

"I told you, Harry!" She said a little too loud, making him retreat. "I knew it was bad for Albus to be friends with that Malfoy kid. Look what he's doing to our sweet little boy! He's... He's turning him into a rebel, Harry!"

"Gin, calm down." He asked softly, and turned to his friends. "Thank you for telling us. Now I think we need to talk, so-"

"No, I want them to say." The redhead woman said, stopping the two who were standing up. "Maybe you can help me make Harry see that their friendship is a bad thing. He keeps saying we should let Albus do what he thinks is right."

"Gin, I honestly don't think they should be here for this." He looked into her eyes, but she shook her head and stood up.

"Tell him, Ron. Tell him we have to do something about it, that Albus is just a child and it's our responsibility as parents to protect him."

Harry looked from his wife to his friends with a sigh, knowing what was coming. The other redhead had been against it from the start.

"I think you should listen to Gin, mate. Albus is too young to see Malfoy for who he is. You have to help him."

"I agree, Harry." Hermione looked apologetically to him. "You've given him time to try that friendship, and it clearly hasn't worked. Now it's time to interfere."

"You know, you sound just like Malfoy on our first day, trying to tell my son who to be friends with." It was clear from his voice that he was upset, but he limited himself to look at the fire. "I am not doing that to Albus. And, moreover, I'm glad he's finally coming out of his shell, learning to stand up for himself. It was about time people stop seeing him as a miniature of Jamie, or even mine."

"Harry, there's a difference between embracing one's identity and what Albus is doing." Hermione tried to argue. "I think it's great for him to be independent, to shine for himself, but it's not right for him to start fighting with James like that. Albus is not like that, it has to be Malfoy's interference."

"We don't really know what he's really like, do we?" Harry looked back at them. "James always demanded most of our attention. Albus was always following him, doing whatever he did, he never had anything just for himself. Now he finally does, and I'm not taking it away from him."

"But mate! I understand it's good for him to have his own space, but Malfoy's evidently bad for him! You have to do something before it's too late!"

"No, Ron. I don't think it's a bad thing. Not to mention we don't even know Albus's side of the story, and we all know James very well. He might as well have been picking on his brother, and Albus had to defend himself." Hermione was about to argue again when they noticed Lily at the door. Harry smiled at her, standing up and opening his arms as she ran to him. "What is it, sweetie?" He asked softly, picking her up.

"I'm hungry, daddy."

The brunet consulted his watch. "It's already time for dinner, isn't it?" The little girl nodded with a smile. "I'll tell you what. You go set the table and I'll be right there with you, okay?" She nodded again and he put her back on the floor. Once she had disappeared, Harry turned back to his wife and friends. "The boys will be home soon. I'll talk to Albus then, and only after that I'll consider doing something." He walked out, concluding the conversation, but stopped at the door. "Are you two staying for dinner? It won't be anything fancy, but you're welcome to stay."

"Thanks, mate, but we have to pick Hugo up at the Burrow." Ron smiled, standing up.

"Okay, then. See you guys later." He smiled back and went to the kitchen. Thinking of the little girl waiting for him, he wished he could protect her from all that mess for longer.

* * *

James was still extremely mad on Sunday morning, and ate his breakfast without really noticing what he was putting on his mouth. His eyes were fixed on the two first-year boys at the Slytherin table, their easy laughter making him even angrier. Jordan sat beside him, and had tried asking him if he was okay, but after being completely ignored, he decided it was for the best to leave his best friend alone.

The Gryffindor boy was already leaving the Great Hall when an owl reached him, dropping two letters on his head before flying away. After cursing the animal in a low voice, he took his mail, recognizing his parents handwriting on it, and he walked back to his Common Room with the letters crumpled in his hand. He sat on an armchair by the fire and started reading, just to throw them in the flames when he was done, angrier than before. His mother had taken four pages to ask him to take care of Albus and make sure that Malfoy wasn't _corrupting _him; and his father threatened to take away his flying privileges if he kept trying to break up his brother's and Malfoy's friendship. Couldn't they agree on what he was supposed to do? And why was his dad defending that blond weasel anyway?

Back at the Great Hall, Albus also received letters from his parents, and hid behind a false smile how upset his mom's letter had made him. At least his dad was on his side, and had promised to get James to stop implicating with Scorpius, even though he had no idea how he'd manage that.

"Letters from home, Al?" The blond asked, looking over his arm to the parchment left on his lap. The brunet nodded. "Good news?"

"Rose told her parents about my fighting with James yesterday." He said simply, reaching for some pumpkin juice.

"Nosy, isn't she?" He frowned a bit.

"Well, she's probably just worried."

"And? What did they say?"

"Mom's upset I fought with James and dad is happy I'm standing up for myself." He shrugged. "it doesn't really matter."

"I guess." Scorpius agreed, knowing he shouldn't meddle in his friend's relationship with his parents. "Are you done? I want you to take a look at my D.A.D.A. essay, I'm not quite sure about it."

"Sure." Albus smiled as they got up.

The homework review didn't take long, and they spent the rest of the morning entertained in a complex game of Wizard Chess. Albus had learned it from his uncle Ron, who was the only person in the family he normally lost to: despite being very intelligent, neither his aunt Hermione nor Rose really liked it, so they lacked strategic knowledge; his dad always did his best to put up a good game, but it'd been a good couple of years since he lost to Harry; both his siblings were too agitated to stand a whole game sitting down. He remembered, however, the couple of good matches he'd played against Teddy, and wondered when he'd be able to do that again. It'd been fun.

Scorpius had learned his moves from his dad, and spent hours reading through books on game strategy, since he had nobody to play against. He only saw Draco on the evenings, when he was too tired to play, but the man tried to make time for at least one match every other weekend: he remembered well how much he missed spending time with his own father when he was growing up. Scorpius had tried asking his grandfather Lucius to play with him once, but the fifteen-minute long lecture on why that game wasn't worthy of the noble Malfoy family (his dad later told him it was actually that Lucius couldn't play it to save his life) made him firmly decided on never asking again.

It was a battle of experience versus theory, and they were both so focused on the game they nearly missed lunch. They were laughing and teasing each other - Scorpius had won that time, tying the overall score between them, and they were already planning another match for that afternoon - making a brunet boy at the Gryffindor table snort. As Jordan would learn during the following month, the string of complaints that began that morning would become a constant during the meals. Either the two eleven-year-old boys were sitting too close, or looking at each other too much, or smiling too much, or eating the exact same thing - and that had to be Malfoy's fault! Albus had always eaten his greens without complaining, and it'd been two days since he last touched a plate of salad! - and so on, not even realizing his friends completely ignoring him. And to make matters worse, he'd gotten himself a week's detention with Snape of all people, for trying to sneak into the Halloween Ball - he was, after all, _almost_ a fourth-year! And if that wasn't enough, he had to stand Jordan and Matt - the other boy he always hung out with - making fun of him for it, after they had both chickened out of the plan.

With November came also the first - and second, and third - snowstorm of the season, making most students lazier and slower than they already were, increasing the number of detentions given and points taken during the Potions classes in particular, but in most of the other subjects as well. The unusually cold and harsh weather conditions made most classes outside be cancelled, but as their content would still be in the exams - particularly the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s -, they'd been replaced with mandatory library time and extra essays, much to general unhappiness. Albus and Scorpius, however, didn't complain; they always managed to do all the reading plus the subject's essay before the bell rang, being awarded with more free time to play their favorite game.

The first week of December saw the third game of Quidditch of the school year - Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor - under rough conditions, and though the brunet would've much rather stay inside, dry and warm, the blond was really into the sport and had dragged him along. In fact, Scorpius often talked about how he'd try out for the team the following year and the new broom his dad had promised him for when he got in. It was a fairly easy game for the lion house, even though their star player - James Potter - had been suspended from it for the last prank he'd pulled on a fourth-year Ravenclaw the week before. It was actually fun, Albus thought as they walked back to the castle in the middle of dozens of excited students. It was a relief being out of the tense atmosphere than slowly took over the castle as their mid-terms arrived - even Scorpius seemed to be studying more than usual, even though the brunet _knew_ they would both do well even without it: he'd seen already how smart the other boy was and he never really had to put extra effort in to get good grades.

They were sitting by the fire one afternoon, one last exam to go - Charms - when the subject of Winter Break finally came up.

"Are you going home?" Scorpius asked, his face hidden behind a book.

"Yeah, you?" Albus was distractedly playing with a pawn from his chess set, slightly bored.

"Dad would kill me if I didn't." He smiled, looking from one side of his book before hiding again.

"Your family usually gets together for the holidays?"

"Well, it's usually just mom, dad, me and my grandparents. My mom's family lives in France, and they didn't really like my mom marrying my dad." He shrugged.

"The house is never big enough for all of us." Albus replied, putting the pawn down and watching it destroy another piece. "Everybody gets together at grandma's, all of my mom's brothers with their families, and some friends as well. All very loud and messy."

"You don't sound too fond of it." The blond laughed quietly.

"This year will be hell, they'll all keep going on and on about me being in Slytherin, and being your friend. Not to mention standing James's stupid jokes."

Scorpius watched him for a moment. The boy was half-lying down on his armchair, with his eyes closed. "Don't go home, then." He said, looking back at his book. He wasn't really reading anymore, but tried to absorb another detail or two and perhaps get a slightly higher grade.

"They would kill me if I didn't." He said opening his eyes and sticking out his tongue.

"Well, it's just three weeks anyway." Scorpius said, finally dropping his book. "Play a match with me? I'll miss having someone to play with." He asked, sitting across from the boy and sharing a smile with him.

The boys shared a cabin on the train home, and the other two first-year Slytherins were also with them. Surprisingly, Frank chose to stay with them as well - much to James's anger - and the five of them talked excitedly for most of the trip, until the sky turned grey and the rain began falling strongly on the window, making them all sleepy. A half-hour nap later, they arrived at King's Cross station rubbing their eyes and moving a little clumsier than usual.

"Write me, Scorp?" Albus asked as they stepped out of the train. As they walked to the door, they had spotted both sets of parents waiting for them, almost one on each side of the platform.

"It's just three weeks, Al." He raised an eyebrow, helping the boy to drag his suitcase out, after they tackled the blond's.

The brunet blushed a little. "Still. I might have doubts about homework. Or some new chess strategy."

"Fine, I'll write." He said, trying to sound annoyed but really smiling.

"Merry Christmas, Scorp." He said, both boys looking at each other, unsure what to do.

"Yeah, merry Christmas, Al." They bounced on the ball of their heels for another moment or two before the blond stuck out his hand and they shook hands formally, laughing a second later.

They turned around and headed on opposite directions. Albus hadn't seen his brother during the whole trip; the older boy was probably still mad at him; but they arrived by their parents almost at the same time. After a tight hug from both adults, they were getting ready to leave when Lily, sitting on the top of their suitcases, put her hands out, palms up, and looked expectantly at her older brother.

"What?" He asked, frowning a little.

"Dad said there's a sweets cart in the train. I want my share." She demanded, looking seriously at him.

James smiled at her. "You'll get them when you're old enough to go to Hogwarts, Lily." He said, walking ahead, while the girl frowned at him. His mom was about to scold him, when Albus stepped forward.

"Here you go, Lily." He smiled, leaving two Chocolate Frogs and half a bag of Bertie Bott's beans on her hands.

Her eyes shone as she smiled. "Thanks!" She said before taking one bean and making a face. "Spinach." She said, making him smile.

"Are you ready to go?" Harry asked, looking from one son to the other. As they both nodded, they crossed the wall leading to the muggle side of the station and took a cab home. Judging by the way his sons were behaving, it was going to one long Winter Break.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Harry could tell by the way Ginny kept looking at him that she wanted him to talk to Albus immediately, but he didn't want his son to feel like he'd done something wrong and was being told off for it, so he stalled the conversation for the rest of the day, and most of the next morning. But after a night's rest, he could witness just how bad the situation between his boys was, and called his middle child for a game of chess after lunch. Not that they didn't both know it was just as excuse.

"When did you get so good at Chess, Al?" Harry asked surprised, as they set up for a new match. He'd been defeated in record time.

"Scorp likes to play too." He replied quietly. Up to that point, he hadn't really volunteered any information, limiting himself to answering the questions he was posed.

"You're really good friends with that boy, aren't you?" He said carefully, watching the boy put a last pawn in its place and concentrate on deciding his first move.

"Yeah. He's my best friend."

"Is he in Slytherin too?" Albus nodded. "Are you friends with the other Slytherin kids?"

"Dad, just ask what you want to know, and tell me what you want to tell me about Scorp." He asked with a sigh, finally looking up at his dad.

"Okay. I'm sorry." He smiled kindly. Sometimes he forgot Albus didn't really behave his age. "I didn't want to have to go through this with you, I trust you, but your mom is very worried about what's going on between you and James."

"He's being a dork. That's all."

"Don't say that about your brother, Al." Harry looked reprovingly, and the other boy dropped his head. "Look... Why don't you sit by the fire with me for a while? Or are you too old to cuddle with your dad?" He offered smiling. The boy shook his head and smiled back, standing up, and they sat together on the comfortable couch. "Okay. Right." Harry took a deep breath, unsure where to start. He was never one for words, he remembered, and shook his head to chase the thought away. "Do you know why some people in our family are worried that you're friends with that Malfoy boy?"

"Scorpius, dad. His name is Scorpius." He insisted, frowning a little.

"I'm sorry. Scorpius."

"Because his family has done some bad stuff in the past. But he's not like that. He's really nice."

"But do you know what that 'bad stuff' was?" He'd rather leave the past behind, but his son needed to understand, so maybe he and James could make amends.

"No. He never said and I never asked." The boy stated firmly and conclusively. "He didn't do any of it, so it doesn't matter."

Harry smiled at him. How he wished it could be that simple! "Well, I think you should know either way." He waited a moment for a reply, or any reaction, but Albus kept looking at the fire, almost ignoring him. He sighed. "Do you remember when I told you about Voldemort?"

He nodded. "The bad wizard who tried to kill everybody. That you defeated when you were younger."

"Yes, that's him. Well, he didn't fight alone, you see. He had many followers, and they were called Death Eaters. And Scorpius's dad and grandparents were part of those supporters." The boy looked up, surprised. "And they did very bad things. They hurt people, specially his grandfather Lucius. That's why we are afraid of you being too close to Scorpius. We don't know him, but we know his family, and we're afraid he'll hurt you too."

"He would never hurt me." He affirmed, looking away. "No matter what his dad and granddad did, I know him. And he wouldn't hurt me."

"I'm glad to hear that, Al." He smiled, satisfied. "But there is another thing I need to ask you. When you fought with James, did Scorpius have anything to do with that?"

"James thinks it's his fault. But it's not, dad!" He urged, two sets of green eyes meeting. "It was _about_ him that we were fighting, but just because James thinks he can tell me what to do, and that if it's not his way, then it's wrong."

"Your uncle Ron told me about what happened in the train." He encouraged.

"James was being a dork. And after that, after the feast-"

Harry smiled. "Professor Snape told me about that." The boy was evidently surprised, and he was glad to see the relief in his son's eyes, for not having to describe the incident. He suspected that, despite their fighting, he was still trying to protect his brother, and it made him proud. "And Rose told us about the discussion on Halloween. I just wanted to hear to your side of the story, Al, before I can think about doing anything."

"You're not forbidding me from being friends with Scorp, are you?" His voice sounded worried, and then defiant. "Because if you are-"

"Don't worry, I'm not." He reassured Albus. "No, I think I'll need to have a serious conversation with James instead. But tell me, Al, how did the fight begin?"

He looked away again, blushing slightly. "James said some things, and I couldn't let him get away with that. But I apologized, dad! The first time at least. Scorp made me."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "He... made you?"

"Well, I still think only James had to apologize, but Scorp said I did too, and I did feel better after it."

He couldn't help smiling. How different the boy sounded from his father! "He was right, Al. You should always apologize when you fight with someone, even if you were right. Because there are always better ways to get your point across than to yell it at them, and at least you know _you_ are doing the right thing." He squeezed the boy in his arms and let him go after a moment, ruffling his hair on the way. "Now go on. I'm sure you have a lot to do." He smiled, getting up.

The boy also got up and hesitated for a moment, before turning back to Harry. "Thank you, dad. I love you." Albus said, holding him briefly before running back to his own room. Harry couldn't help the tear that fell from his right eye, and smiled as he walked out the door.

"So?" Ginny asked anxiously when he stopped by her office. Since she retired from Quidditch, she worked occasionally as a free-lancer sports journalist for the Daily Prophet, and was often working on some new article.

"He's fine, Gin. I told you he was a good boy. If anything, Malf- Scorpius is trying to bring them together, keep them from fighting."

"I don't think we have the same boy in mind, Harry." She frowned. "Not a Malfoy, he wouldn't do... that."

"Gin, I talked to Albus. And as I thought, James had been picking on him for... well, pretty much everything, and Al was just trying to stand up for himself. And Scorpius kept telling him not to fight with James, and to apologize."

"You really think he would do that? Draco Malfoy's son?" She raised an eyebrow, almost mocking him.

"I believe our son, Ginny. And I think he's been through enough trouble as it is, I think we should support him instead of question him, okay? He knows that if he has any problems, he can come to us, and you know he will, right? He knows about what happened with Draco and Lucius Malfoy, and he's right in leaving it in the past. And he's happy to have a friend, and to be trailing his own path."

The redhead looked at Harry for long moments before standing up and holding him in her arms. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried, but if you say he's alright, I believe you." She looked up and let their lips meet for a moment before hiding her face on the curve of his neck, inhaling his characteristic aftershave smell. "What about James? If Albus is really happy where he is, we need to do something to keep James from picking on him. I don't want the two to end up fighting so bad they never really make amends."

"I'll talk to him, don't worry." Harry left a soft kiss on the top of her head before pulling away. "I better get back to work. I still have some papers due tomorrow, and I haven't even started them." He smiled before walking out.

The house was awfully quiet that day, in screaming contrast to what it usually was with the three kids at home. Typically, James would be pulling some (loud) prank on his brother and sister, who would be chasing him around the house and screaming in anger, while the older boy's laughter filled every corner of every room, making it hard for either adult to concentrate. This time, however, each boy was locked in his own room, and Lily sat quietly on the living room, playing with her dolls, after unsuccessfully trying to get somebody to play with her.

After dinner, James was the first to retire to his bedroom, and a meaningful look between the adults later, Harry was following his son, knowing Ginny would make sure they weren't interrupted. He knocked on the door a couple of times after coming in, and found James sitting on his desk, scribbling on some parchment - but nothing that even resembled the homework Harry knew he'd been assigned. He sat on the edge of the bed after closing the door again, and watched the boy ignore him for a few moments.

"What are you doing, Jamie?"

"Don't call me Jamie, I'm not a baby anymore." He mumbled, without turning around.

Harry shook his head, a soft smile drawn on his lips. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He replied, still focused on his drawings.

"What's wrong, James? You know you shouldn't behave like that to your father." Harry said a little more vehemently, forcing the boy to look over his shoulder to where he was.

"I'm fine, okay, dad? I'm just... tired." He lied.

"I think we need to have a serious talk, son."

"I have nothing to talk about."

"Well, I do, and I want you to listen, so can you look at me properly?" He asked, and waited in silence until the boy had turned around, his chin resting on the back of the chair. "Thank you. Now, I'd like to ask you to stop picking on your brother because of his House and his friends."

"But dad! I'm just trying to help him, trying to make him see-"

"You're not helping, James, you're making it worse. I talked to Albus earlier, and he knows what he needs to know about the Malfoys. And I know you want to protect him, but you need to let him make his own choices, okay?"

"But it's the wrong choice, dad!" He had raised his voice, and Harry was grateful for Ginny's suggestion of casting a silencing charm on the room when he entered it.

"Just because it isn't _your_ choice, it doesn't make it wrong, Jamie."

"Okay, fine, so you're on his side. Are you done?" He said, turning around again.

Harry sighed. "I'm not taking sides here. There aren't sides to be taken, James. Scorpius is his friend, and you'll have to respect that. Just like we all respect your friends."

"You can't compare Jordan or Matt or any of them to... to..."

"His name is Scorpius." He stopped his son before the boy let out any offensive words. "And I'm telling you to leave them alone. If you can't, I'll have to start cutting your privileges until you understand it's not your place to choose Albus's friends." He said severely, and the boy snorted, but didn't say anything else. Harry took one last look at him before leaving the room, wondering if he was doing the right thing. It was great that James wanted to protect Albus, but he really did have problems understanding the concept of personal space, and the older he got, the more troublesome it would be.

The first week of the holidays went by quickly and quietly. The boys still weren't talking to each other properly, but at least they weren't arguing either; and Lily had managed to get them to play with her, one at a time, so she wasn't whining so much about being lonely. Harry had to work until the 22nd, and Ginny had a deadline for her latest article on the 23rd, so they only managed to get everybody to the Burrow on Christmas Eve, when the rest of the family had already arrived. They'd been designated Ginny's old room - which they magically extended to create a separate space for the kids, even though they feared for the security of the structure leaving Albus and James in the same room, even if just for a day -, and it was virtually impossible to walk around the house without bumping into somebody.

The oldest Potter boy barely took the time to unpack before gathering his cousins for a Quidditch match; and most of the children - and some of the adults too - spent the day outside, allowing the others to settle properly. Molly was exhilarated to have everybody under the same roof; they were so many now that it was quite the occasion. Despite the snow that had fallen the day before, it was almost impossible to find a place for all of them to eat together inside the house, so Harry and Hermione worked on setting up the tent Arthur had bought in a muggle shop (and for which Molly had punished him with a week sleeping on the couch) and cast charms inside it so it would be pleasantly warm.

The other sisters-in-law helped out with the kitchen and setting the table, since most men were too busy playing Quidditch with the children. Harry had been one of two not to join them; the other one being George, who sat by the fire with his eyes lost somewhere among the flames. It was always like that when he visited the Burrow. There must be too many memories, Harry thought, looking at him for a long moment. As if it wasn't bad enough for him to look in the mirror everyday and see Fred looking back at him, the house they grew up in must be filled with all sorts of things they used to do, and it was easy to see how it depressed the twin left behind.

"Everything okay, Harry, dear?" Molly asked with a hand on his shoulder; he'd been standing in the middle of the hall.

"Ah, yes, Mrs. Weasley." He said smiling and shaking his head. "Is there anything else I can do to help?"

She smiled back. "Since you're offering, why don't you got get everybody so we can start eating? I'm sure the younger kids will be sleepy in no time, and it's not good for them to go to bed on an empty stomach."

"Of course." He said before heading to the area where the game was happening. He observed the players for a moment, and couldn't help smiling as he watched Ginny fly; even after such a long time away from it, she was still very skilled. "Hey, guys! Dinner's ready!" He said out loud after a few minutes, and soon the first players returned to the ground. He could hear the children complaining about the interruption, and smiled at that, already returning to the table.

Harry sat between Ron - who was excitedly chattering about his beloved Chudley Cannons -, and Charlie, with whom he had an interesting conversation about his dragons, and promised to take the kids for a visit during summer. That was the only unmarried Weasley, and Harry could see his mother picking on him for it, to which he always replied he was more interested in his dragons than in dating, and that she had more than enough grandchildren without his contribution. It always made Harry laugh, and he wondered if that was the truth, for it was hard to believe such a good-looking guy wouldn't have at least a handful of girls - and perhaps boys? - chasing after him.

After indulging themselves in a generous feast, complemented by delicious deserts brought by the guests, Harry sent his children to bed, and saw Ron doing the same. James complained, claiming he was too old to go to sleep with the 'little kids', but a big yawn betrayed him and he went to his room with his head down, defeated. Lily and Hugo practically had to be carried up, for they were almost asleep on the table set for them beside the main table. Louis, Bill's youngest son, who was twelve, also decided to go to bed, since he wouldn't have anyone to talk to anymore and was very sleepy himself. About an hour later, the others also began retiring, and in no more than a couple of hours, the house was perfectly silent.

The next morning, Harry and Ginny were woken up by Lily, who was jumping on their bed in excitement. The sun couldn't have risen for longer than half an hour, but she was as awake as if it were mid-morning. And they both knew that had only one reason: the presents waiting for her under the tree in the living room. But as always happened, they could only open their presents once everybody was awake, so they took the girl for breakfast in the kitchen - where they met Hermione and Hugo - and only about half an hour later they got to the main event of the day.

After another feast for Christmas lunch, the guests began leaving, some to visit the other side of the family - the case of Bill and Fleur, who'd be travelling by Floo to France, much to Victoire's unhappiness, for she wanted to stay in England with her boyfriend -, and others simply to rest after such agitated couple of days. Harry and Ginny were among the last to leave, their children entertained in playing with their new toys, giving the adults time to talk. Harry had to explain to Molly and Arthur that Albus was fine a Slytherin and that Scorpius was really his friend, and not just using him, since he had forbidden everybody to mention those two subjects near his son - and once that was out of the way, they got to discuss more pleasant topics, losing track of time until Lily came to complain she was hungry.

After an improvised tea, they decided it was time to leave. Harry arrived home exhausted, but very pleased, and sat on his study for a glass of Firewhisky - nothing quite like alcohol to help him relax. He was almost falling asleep by the fire, waiting for dinner and unwilling to do any work - it was Christmas after all - when he heard the noises of a Floo-call. It only happened when it was somebody unauthorized, and he was very curious to find out who it was. Ginny also heard it from the kitchen, and got to the study just as Draco Malfoy's face appeared in their fireplace.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Potter." He replied as politely as he could, looking a bit flustered and agitated.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" He offered politely, as Ginny sat on the arm of his chair.

"Uh, is your son there? The middle one." He looked slightly embarrassed, avoiding their eyes.

"What is this about, Malfoy?" The redhead asked, her patience already evaporating.

They saw the blond take a deep breath, certainly containing a rude reply, before speaking again. "It's about Scorpius. He's..."

"Friends with Albus. You got a problem with that?"

"Gin! Let him speak!" Harry hissed, looking severely at his wife. Sometimes the Weasley stubbornness drove him crazy. "What about Scorpius, Malfoy?"

"He's missing."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"He's missing."

"What you mean he's missing?" Harry asked alarmed, leaning forward.

"We can't find him anywhere. I asked the house-elves, and even though they had express orders not to let him out of the property, he's managed to sneak out." The blond explained agitated, looking from one of them to the other.

"Why would he do that?" Harry frowned, and then realized it didn't matter at that moment. "You think Albus might know where he's gone?"

"Yes, do you think you could ask him?"

"Yes, hold on." Harry practically ran upstairs, jumping the steps two by two, and paused outside his son's room, whose door was closed, to take a deep breath and get himself under control. He didn't need to make Albus panic over his friend; the boy would probably be even less helpful in that state of mind. He knocked once and entered the room. "Hey, Al. Can we talk for a minute?"

Albus had been finishing his last bit of homework and turned around from his desk. "Sure, dad. What is it?"

"Hm, you see, Draco Malfoy, Scorpius's dad, just contacted me. It seems Scorpius has left his home without telling anyone, and now they're worried about him. Do you have any idea where he might've gone?" He asked as gently as he could, and watched Albus's eyes open wide in worry.

"No, I mean, why would he do that? He never said anything, and he always told me he got along with his mom and dad and-" He had stood up and began pacing, searching through his memories for some clue he might've missed.

"Hey, Al, I'm sure he's fine." Harry held the boy tightly, making him stand still. "I'm sure they'll find him soon. We just wondered if, since you're his best friend, you might have an idea of where he's gone?"

"No, dad. He never said anything like that, I don't... I don't know."His voice was low, and he hoped the boy wasn't blaming himself for not being able to help.

"It's okay, Al. We'll find him, okay? I'll talk to you mom and I'll go help them look for him."

"Can I come?" He asked hopeful, looking up, but his eyes quickly returned to the floor when he saw his dad shake his head.

"I'm sorry, Al. But it's no place for a child, okay? I promise I'll let you know the moment we find him." He hugged his son again before walking out of the room; there was, after all, a very anxious father still waiting for a reply downstairs. "I'm sorry, Malfoy. Albus has no idea where he might be. But I'm coming over, I'm sure we'll be able to find him faster if there's more of us searching."

The blond seemed uncertain for a moment, but then nodded. "You're right. I don't know why you'd help, but you're very welcome to." He said before disappearing.

Harry looked at Ginny. "Will you be okay with the kids?" The redhead nodded, still feeling guilty about how hostile she'd been to Malfoy. "Okay. I'm going then, I'll let you know as soon as we find something out." He kissed the top of her head before grabbing some Floo powder and throwing in the fireplace. "Malfoy Manor!" He said loudly, as he entered the green flames and was gone the next moment.

"Thank you, Harry!" Astoria Malfoy, Scorpius's mom, said to him as he walked out of the fireplace, throwing her arms around him. He could see she'd been crying, and held her back.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Malfoy. We'll find Scorpius in no time, you'll see." He said as reassuringly as he could. She nodded against his shoulder before letting go, and Harry turned to her husband. "If you'll let me, I'd like to contact a friend of mine in the Ministry, so he'll let us know immediately if Scorpius uses his wand." He saw the man nod, and a few minutes later, they were walking out of the manor and into the front gates.

"What happened to make him run away?" Harry asked quietly, as they walked side by side, the cold night wind messing their hairs and leaving their noses pink.

"My dad came over for Christmas. He wasn't very happy to know Albus is Scorpius's best friend, and started lecturing the boy. You should've seen how angry he got." He half-smiled, remembering his own relationship with Harry when they were eleven. "He ran to his room, and we thought we'd give him some time to calm down. You know how my dad can be, and I think it was the first time Scorpius really saw him angry. But when we went looking for him for dinner, he wasn't anywhere."

"I'm sure he couldn't have gone far, Malfoy. He's just a kid, he's probably hiding somewhere, angry and ashamed." Harry tried to reassure him. They'd reached the front gates of the Manor and the blond opened them with a flick of his wand.

"But that's just it! He's just a little kid, he's never been anywhere without us."

"Seriously?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "He's eleven, you know."

"Well, we're still Malfoys, and there's still plenty of people out there blaming us for the war and wanting to see us dead, Potter." He said bitterly.

"Okay. Sorry." He said quickly. "We'll find him." They walked quietly for a few minutes, the light coming from their wands illuminating the way. "Is there anywhere he likes to go? Perhaps a shop, or a park or something?"

"We never go anywhere but the Diagon Alley, and we Floo there."

"Okay... So he's probably around here." Harry said, walking a little faster. It was very dark already, and regardless of his blood origins, it was dangerous for a little boy to be out there on his own. They spent the next two hours searching, but found no sign of Scorpius.

* * *

Albus had been pacing in his bedroom since his dad told him Scorpius was missing. He was trying really hard to remember where his friend could've gone alone at night on Christmas Day, but nothing really came to mind. From what the blond had told him, he got along with his parents just fine, so there was no reason for him to run away, and yet nobody could find him. His mom had called him to have dinner a few times already, but his stomach seemed vehemently against the idea, attempting to show him just how many cartwheels it could make within a minute.

He wasn't sure why, but he suddenly got the urge to look out the window, interrupting his thoughts that were roaming further and further away from reality - it wasn't possible that he'd found a fully-grown dragon who decided to feed him to his babies, was it? -, and had to rub his eyes a couple of times at what he saw. Right there across the street was a boy, sitting on a swing, his back to Albus but his unmistakable platinum blond hair giving up his identity. Before he could even process what he'd seen, he had rushed downstairs and over to the small park, leaving the front door open on his way.

"Scorp?" He asked, suddenly hesitant, standing a few steps behind the boy. What if he was imagining it? Or if it was some other kid he'd never seen?

The boy turned around, his silver eyes filled with hate. "What?" He asked rudely, looking ahead again.

Albus sighed with relief, and sat on the swing next to him. "Are you okay?" He asked to the boy who'd started moving slowly, his feet never leaving the ground.

"I'm fine." Looking a little closer, the brunet could see he'd been crying. He didn't know what to do, usually it was the other way around.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He offered kindly, moving in synchrony with the blond and letting his eyes wander.

"No."

"Are you sure?" He looked back at his friend, whose eyes were now on his tennis shoes. "Talking to you has always made me feel better." He said quietly.

"I'm fine."

"Do you want to come in, then? My mom made dinner not too long ago, if you're hungry."

"Can't we just stay here?"

"Your parents are worried about you. Everybody is. My dad has even gone to your place to help look for you."

"Let them look." He mumbled, traits of anger again evident in his voice.

Albus left his seat and crouched in front of the blond, making him stop moving and looking him in the eye. "They're worried, Scorp. They care about you, and they want to know you're safe."

"I don't care." He said stubbornly.

"I do. And I worry about you, you know. Come on. Let's go inside, it's cold out here."

"No wonder. You left without any coats." The blond tried to sound strict, but couldn't help the smile forming on his lips.

"Well, I was worried." He said, looking away and blushing a bit, though it didn't show behind the color the cold had put on his cheeks. "Come on. Mom's a great cook."

"Albus! Is that you?" Ginny asked from the door, having just realized the door was open when she went to the boy's room to get him down for dinner. She normally would've heard him leaving, but James was entertained picking on Lily, and it took her a while to break them apart. "Albus Severus Potter! What are you doing outside, at night, in this cold weather and-" She was marching towards them, and realized who was beside her son. "Malfoy! Where have you been? Your parents are so worried about you, young man!"

"Mom! He's fine. Can't we just go inside?" He knew it wasn't the best time to lecture his friend; it was the same with himself, whenever he was angry, getting yelled at only made it worse. Albus grabbed Scorpius's hand - making the boy complain about the temperature shock - and started dragging him towards his own house.

"We're going to have a serious conversation, young man. How many times have I told you not to go out on your own, especially at night?" Ginny kept on ranting at him as they entered the house, and Albus just shook his head, ignoring most of what she was saying.

To say James was shocked to see the blond boy would be quite the euphemism. The fork he was holding fell onto his plate and his jaw dropped, the color quickly rising to his face and it was clear he was struggling to find the right response to that. Lily, who'd been sitting to his right, just looked from her brothers to her mom and the boy she didn't know, confused at the situation. Albus quickly grabbed another plate and put it down for Scorpius, feeling suddenly hungry, and started eating like nothing had ever tasted so good in his life.

Ginny shook her head for a moment, trying to get her priorities back in place. "I need to let Malfoy know we found his son. Can I trust you to behave for a few minutes?" Her eyes went from one child to the other, and stopped on James. The all nodded, and she left for the study.

Not more than five minutes later, both Scorpius's parents and Harry were stepping out of the fireplace, the blond man rushing out the door looking for his son. The boys were eating quietly, Albus finally returning to a comfortable temperature, when Draco barged into the kitchen and grabbed Scorpius, holding him as tightly as he could while the boy tried to get away. The others just watched the scene, James trying very hard not to laugh at them, and storing away a thousand jokes he'd tell his friends when the boy was around.

"Where have you been? We've been so worried! Don't you ever do anything like that ever again, Scorpius, you hear me? I'm grounding you for a whole year and-"

"Let me go, dad!" He complained, finally breaking free. His mother tried to hug him next, but he quickly dodged her. "I'm fine, okay?" He said, moving to a corner between Albus and Lily. "Not thanks to you, but I'm fine." He mumbled.

"Scorpius Malfoy! You will not talk that way to your father, you hear me?" Draco's voice sounded threatening, making all four children cower a little.

"Malfoy, calm down." Harry asked reaching a hand to the other man's shoulder and being quickly shrugged away. "I know you were worried. But he's safe now. Let him calm down, and you too, and then you can think of an appropriate punishment for him."

Draco looked angrily at the other man, but as their eyes met, he seemed to relax a bit. Most of the time Potter was completely useless, but he had to admit he was right. "Fine." He looked back at his son. "Now sit down and tell me exactly what happened since you left the manor."

"Why don't you join us for dinner? We can discuss that after we're done eating." Harry suggested, pulling a chair out for Draco, who raised an unsure eyebrow at him before taking his seat. Reluctantly, Scorpius sat back down, and they all ate in a tense silence. "Right. Off to bed, you three." Harry said once they were done, getting complaints from all of them. "I don't want to hear it. Bed, now." He repeated, and the children dragged their feet upstairs. "Let's sit on the study, it's more comfortable there." He indicated the door, and the four adults and Scorpius walked in silence. "Can I offer you a drink, Malfoy?" Despite the exceptional situation, Harry couldn't avoid the awkwardness he felt being actively nice to Draco. So they'd spent a couple of hours talking friendly, but it by no means implied any kind of relationship between them. They had just managed to put their personal feelings aside to look for a lost child, right?

"Double dose of Firewhisky." He replied. He was sitting in a couch with his wife, and after handing him his drink, Harry sat across from them with Ginny. Scorpius was sitting in an armchair between the other two pieces of furniture, slightly closer to Harry. "Go on. Tell us what happened." Draco said after a long sip, looking strictly at the boy who had his head dropped.

"You didn't stop him. So I got scared and ran. And here was the only place I could think of." At that moment, it was very clear to Harry how alike the boy and his father were. Draco also wasn't one to waste words if it could be helped.

"How did you get out of the property? The house elves-"

"Were too busy entertaining you two, grandma and grandpa. It was easy, I just had to walk out."

"But there are spells-"

"You've thought me how to undo them when I was five." He mumbled, his voice growing angrier at each reply.

"Fine. What happened then? How did you get here?"

"A purple bus offered me a ride. I just had to give them the address, they didn't even charge me or anything."

"And you go off taking rides from the first person who offers you? Haven't you learned anything your mother and I taught you? Do you have any idea how dangerous it was? All the things that could've happened?" Draco had stood up in anger, and his son did the same as he replied, finally looking him in the eye.

"It's not like you care, is it? You didn't bother defending me, or coming to check on me or anything! And so what if something bad could've happened? It didn't, so it's fine already!"

"It's not fine! You could've been killed!" Draco was exasperated, and started pacing back and forth. Astoria stood up and held him, trying to calm him down.

"It was the Knight bus, Malfoy. He was safe." Harry offered, turning the angry eyes to himself.

"I know it was, Potter. But it could've not been. It could've been-"

"I know that, Malfoy. But he's safe now. Let's just focus on that, okay?" He'd forgotten just how much the other could drive him insane, and had to use all of his willpower to remain in control.

Draco sustained the look for another minute, evaluating what he'd said, before turning back to his son, who had sat back down and studied his own feet. "You are never going to do anything like that ever again, you hear me? You're forbidden to leave the manor without our express authorization. And don't even think about flying, you won't have your broom back until next Christmas, and that's _if_ you behave."

"Draco, honey, don't you think you're being a little too strict?"

"Don't question me, Astoria. I know very well what I'm doing." His voice was much more controlled now. "Come on. We're going back home, and you're only leaving again to go back to school." He said, turning around to the fireplace and grabbing the little pot with Floo powder lying on the mantelpiece. "Thank you for your help, Potter." He said, looking at the man briefly and nodding before turning back to his son, who was still sitting down. "Come on, Scorpius. I said now."

"I'm not going." He said between his teeth, looking defiantly at his father.

"I didn't ask. Now come on." He replied in the same tone.

"I'm not going!" He said louder, running out of the room and tripping on something by the door.

"_Accio _Invisibility Cloak!" Harry said, and before his older son could react, he'd been discovered. "You are grounded, James. To your room, _now._" It only took a look to make the boy return upstairs running, with his head down. "Are you okay, Scorpius?" He asked, grabbing the boy by the arm and putting him back on his feet.

"I'm fine." He pulled his arm back, taking a few steps back. "I'm still not going."

Draco stepped forward, his anger clear in his face. "You are, and I'm not telling you again, young man!" If his wife hadn't come in front of him and held him back, Harry knew the boy would've been forcefully dragged home, and that in the best-case scenario.

"Calm down, Draco! You're not helping anyone like this!" The blonde woman urged him as he tried to let go.

"Listen, why don't you let him spend the night here? So things can calm down. And I'll personally make sure he's home tomorrow, how's that?" Harry offered quickly, looking from the Malfoys to Ginny, who looked very displeased, and to the boy, who looked hopefully at him.

"If it's not too much trouble, Harry, I think that's a great idea." Astoria replied before Draco could say anything. "You bring him back after lunch?" She asked and he nodded. "Good. Let's go home, Draco." She asked, finally letting him go.

He straitened his clothes, evidently vexed. "He better be back right after lunch, or I'll come pick him up myself." And the next moment, he was gone.

"Thank you, Harry. And don't worry, I'll talk to Draco. He was just worried, he'll be much better in the morning." She smiled at him before following her husband.

"Come on, Scorpius. You can stay with Albus in his room." Harry smiled at the boy, gently pushing him up the stairs and ignoring the killer looks from his wife. Once the boys were tucked in - Harry had conjured another bed for the blond -, he went back downstairs, knowing he couldn't escape the words he was about to hear.

"That boy is not a good influence for Albus, Harry!" She said after he'd barely stepped into the kitchen, where she was doing the dishes. Or rather, the dishes were doing themselves under her supervision. "Did you see what happened? He _ran away_! What if Albus decided to do that as well? Who knows what could've happened to that boy! And he was so rude! He-"

"That's enough, Ginny." He said strictly, making her stop talking and look angrily at him. "He'll run away if we keep trying to tell him what to do. Now they're both fine, and let's leave it at that, okay?" His voice was much friendlier now, and he sat down on a chair, rubbing his temples. If the weather conditions and all that walking hadn't been bad enough, the worry about the lost boy had given him one massive headache.

"No, Harry! We need to do something right now. I can't have Albus running away every time we argue with him, like that Malfoy boy did! What if... What if..." She couldn't put the horrible thoughts going through her head into words, and hid her face on her hands, taking a deep breath. "I don't care what you think. I'm forbidding Albus from being around that boy." She said taking a seat and looking back at him.

"They share the same dorm, Gin." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Then I'll have him moved elsewhere, and-"

"We've been through this already. It was his choice, and we can't overrule him." His voice sounded tired. "Besides, even if you forbid him, I'll allow him, and we know exactly who he'll listen to."

"He's not only _your_ child, Harry."

"But clearly I'm the only one being reasonable around here. The only one concerned with what _he _wants, not what _I_ think is best."

"It's our job as parents to guide him, and keep him from following the wrong path, Harry. Even if it goes against what he wants."

"We're not talking about him becoming a Death Eater, for Merlin's sake! We're talking about letting him choose his own friends!"

"And the more he trusts this boy, the easier it will be for him to lead Albus to the dark side!"

"This boy's name is Scorpius, and they're just eleven! You can't seriously think he's already plotting about how to turn Albus into the next Dark Lord!" Their voices were rising without them noticing, and they both had stood up, led by their emotions.

"Well, _Scorpius _may not be plotting, but who's to say his father isn't? Or his grandfather?"

"Listen to yourself, Ginny! Scorpius just ran away from home because Lucius _disapproved_ of their friendship. I seriously doubt any of them are plotting anything!"

"It may be part of the plan!" She said, her pride taking the best of her. "What if-"

"Please, stop." They heard a child's voice coming from the door, and turned around, surprised to see the blond boy standing there. "You don't have to argue because of me." He voice sounded sad, and his eyes were fixed on his feet. "If you don't want me to be friends with Al, I won't be. But I don't want anybody fighting because of me anymore."

Harry raised his eyebrows at the words he heard, surprised, and quickly kneeled in front of the boy. "Hey, Scorpius, it's okay. This has nothing to do with you, Ginny and I are just having some trouble agreeing on a few things. It's not your fault we're arguing, okay?" Harry looked kindly at the boy who avoided making eye contact. He expected his wife to join him in reassuring the blond, but a look over his shoulder later, he saw she was about to agree with Scorpius.

"It is my fault." The boy said in a low voice. "It's because I'm a Malfoy. It would be okay if I weren't, but I am, and I'm causing so much trouble, to you and Mrs. Potter, and to James and Albus, and to everybody."

"Oh, it's not your fault, Scorpius." He put his arms around the blond, but the boy didn't correspond. "I promise you, you're not causing any trouble. You see, Albus was telling me just the other day how much you help him, with homework, chess, and he said he's really happy you keep him company and that you two talk. He's very happy you're his friend, and because of that, so am I." He pulled back a little, his green eyes meeting silver ones.

"Really?" He asked quietly, his voice trembling a little.

"Really." Harry smiled, picking him up. "Come on, now. You're too young to still be awake, don't you think? Let's put you back in bed." He said, carrying Scorpius back upstairs and leaving an angry Weasley behind.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"Can I come, dad?" Albus asked with a smile as Harry, Scorpius and him stood by the fireplace in the study. The boys had played chess all morning - and Harry had been quite impressed with some of their strategies, watching for long minutes from afar - and after a delicious lunch Ginny made them - Scorpius was tired of eating house-elf-made food, great as it might be, for it was all he ate both at home and at school -, it was time for the blond to return home.

"I'm sorry, Al, but I think this time it should be just Scorpius and me." He smiled at his son, who was now frowning at him, and ruffled his hair a little. Then he turned to the other boy. "After you." He offered him the pot containing Floo Powder. "See you later, Al." He smiled again before disappearing among the green flames. On the other side, he found Draco holding his son strongly by the arm, the boy trying to get away and his wife trying to calm him down. Harry cleared his throat once, getting their attention.

"Yes. Thank you for keeping your word, Potter." Draco nodded briefly. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some family issues to deal with." He said before turning back to his son.

"Malfoy, can I talk to you for a moment?" He asked politely, gaining a very unpleased look.

"Must it be _now_?"

"Yes. Now."

The blond man sighed. "Go to your bedroom, Scorpius. And stay there, if you know what's good for you." The boy snorted and walked away without looking back. "What do you want?" He pointed to the couch near Harry, and both men sat down. Astoria had disappeared and returned a few minutes later followed by a house-elf carrying a tray of tea and biscuits.

"I think you should talk to Scorpius before punishing him." And then he proceeded to tell them what'd happened the night before. When he was done, Draco looked surprised at him.

"I had no idea."

"I thought so. And of course you should be hard on him, he needs to understand how dangerous what he did was, but I think there's more to it than we know." He stood up and they shook hands.

"Thank you, Potter. I'll talk to Scorpius. And thank you for caring for him."

"It's not a problem. I have kids, I know what it's like." He smiled before walking to the fireplace.

"Hey, Potter!" Draco called when he already had a hand in the Floo Powder, and he turned around. "How many people we know you think would have us admitted to St. Mungo's if they saw us talking like this?"

Harry's smile grew. "All of them." He replied before leaving.

Draco shook his head lightly, turning to Astoria. "I'll go talk to Scorpius." He offered.

"Just be reasonable, okay?" She asked, leaving a peck on his lips.

"Okay. I will."

As he walked the many hallways, he wondered what they needed such an enormous place for. Especially after his parents moved out - they now preferred spending their time travelling, and only came home for select holidays - it seemed too excessive for just the three of them, even being Malfoys. Not to mention all the bad memories from the war times, which kept them from using at least half of the manor.

He reached his son's room after a few minutes, and knocked on the closed door before entering. "Scorpius?" He called, closing the door behind himself. "Can we talk?" He looked around for a moment, finding the boy curled up in his bed. Sighing, he sat on the edge of the bed and rest his hand on the boy's back. "Potter told me what happened last night." Scorpius still refused to look at him. "It's not your fault people don't like our family."

"No, it's yours. Yours and granddad's." His voice sounded hard and resentful.

"I'm sorry you feel like that, son."

"Do you, really?" He sat up, finally looking into his father's eyes, his own shining with anger. "You always act like nothing happened. Like you didn't do anything wrong. But I know, dad! And if nobody ever tells you, I sure hear plenty of it! And it hurts! I hate it, how I have to hear them say all that about me when it's not true!"

"What are you talking about, Scorpius?" He frowned, surprised.

"Kids at school say nasty things about our family. And I get tired of ignoring them."

"Why haven't you ever said anything? Why didn't you tell anyone, or fought back?" Draco was alarmed, wondering how that all happened under his nose without him noticing it.

"Because that's what you always do, dad! You ignore everybody who says bad things about you. And what could I say? It's all true! I hate being a Malfoy!" He lay back down, curling up into a ball again, his back turned to his father.

"Don't say that, Scorp." He said quietly, leaning forward so he could see his son's face, feeling his heart break at the tears he witnessed. "I'm sorry you had to go through that alone. I'll talk to Severus, and we'll get the kids to stop bullying you, okay?"

"They'll just make more fun of me if you do that." His voice was muffled, but didn't sound as angry as it had just moments before.

"You really think anybody would dare go against Severus's orders?" He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling up slightly, and waited until the boy looked at him, smiling weakly and shaking his head. "But it's okay if you don't want me to say anything as well. Maybe we can figure out something different?" Scorpius nodded. "Very well, then. I'll think of something." He smiled, ruffling his hair and standing up. "Meanwhile, all I said to you yesterday is still on. No broom and you're not going anywhere without us."

The boy was almost shocked, his expression a mix of anger and indignation. "But dad-"

"No buts, Scorpius. What you did was very wrong and very dangerous, and now you'll have to pay the price for your choices." He said as severely as he could, but it didn't sound as authoritative as it probably should've. He was still too emotional from what they'd been talking, and decided to leave the room before his reactions ran out of control.

The boys didn't meet again until it was time to return to Hogwarts. Scorpius was strangely quiet on the train, ignoring the other boys excitedly talking around him, his eyes watching the landscape passing by. Albus was itching to know what was wrong - he still hadn't found out what had happened on Christmas day - and if there was anything he could do to help, but was afraid to make matters worse and decided to wait until they had some privacy to talk. That chance only arrived later that night, once the other two boys they shared the dorm with were sound asleep. It was a Saturday, and they'd cultivated the habit of having late-night conversations on the weekends.

"Scorp? Are you still awake?" He called quietly, turning to his right where the blond's bed was. There was no reply, and Albus just watched him for long minutes under the ghostly green light. "I know you're not asleep. Talk to me, Scorp. Maybe I can help." He offered with a faint smile.

"You can't help." He mumbled, still facing the opposite way.

"Talking can help." The brunet knew his friend didn't mean to be rude, he was just playing defensive.

"I don't want to talk, Al." His voice sounded tired.

"But you haven't been acting like yourself, Scorp. Not since Christmas. And I'm your friend, so I'm worried and want to help." He sat up, his feet hanging out of the bed, and kept watching the other boy.

"You don't have to worry. I'm fine, and there's really nothing you can do to help with my problems." He tried to be as reassuring as he could so the brunet would drop the subject, and tried to get to sleep, but had to turn around when he felt Albus climbing into his bed. The boy was sitting on his heels, looking expectantly at him. "What are you doing?" He asked alarmed, in a whisper.

"I trust you, you know. And you can trust me too. So when you're ready to talk, I'll be here."

"And you had to come here to tell me that?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No. Move over. I'm sleeping in your bed tonight."

"What? No, you're not! You have your own bed, go sleep in it."

"I've had a nightmare, Scorp. I'm scared of sleeping alone."

"You haven't slept yet, you can't have had a nightmare, Al." He rolled his eyes.

"Well, I still find it comforting to be close to somebody."

The blond sighed, watching Albus get under the covers and lie down facing him. "Suit yourself. Don't blame me if I kick you in the middle of the night."

"Don't worry." He smiled, and Scorpius turned his back to him, making him giggle. "Good night, Scorp." He whispered before yawning. He never got a reply.

The blond boy almost panicked when he woke up the next morning to find someone else in his bed, his brain taking a few seconds to recall what had happened the previous night. Once he had calmed down - he had to try really hard not to just push Albus out, making him fall off the bed -, he got up as quietly as he could and, after his morning routine, he went down to the Great Hall for breakfast, where most other students already talked excitedly to one another.

As the week progressed, things seemed to slowly go back to normal between them, though Scorpius still refused to talk about whatever had happened. It was only the next weekend, once again late at night, that he decided to open up, and the almost asleep Albus had to sit up and rub his eyes strongly to wake up again. "What was that?"

"I said I ran away because of what my granddad said about you." He was lying on his back, his head comfortably resting on his hands.

"And what did he say?"

"Bad things. Much in the same line as what people tell you about me. And dad didn't do anything, he just let him talk like that. And neither did mom. So I got really angry, and ran away."

"You didn't have to run. Your parents were really worried."

"I couldn't let them get away with that."

"Couldn't you just have yelled at them?" He raised an eyebrow, watching the other boy turn his way.

"Like you?" He smiled, and Albus looked away, slightly embarrassed.

"Well, you always tell me it's not worth stressing over that, don't you?"

"But it's different, Al." His tone was serious again, and his eyes went back to analyzing the ceiling.

"How's it different?"

"Because... What he said about you isn't true."

"Neither is what they say about you, Scorp."

"It is. Maybe you don't want to believe it, but my dad really did bad things. And so did my granddad."

"But you didn't."

"Maybe it's genetic. Maybe I will, when I'm old enough."

"Why are you saying that? It's not true! The Scorpius I know would never hurt anyone on purpose." He insisted, bothered by what his friend was saying.

"But what if-"

"You told me, on the first day we met, that you wouldn't be a dark wizard. So as long as you don't want to be one, you won't be one. And I'll make sure to stop you if you change your mind." He smiled, watching the blond's lips curl up slightly. "Is that why you were so upset all week long? You're worried that what they say is true?"

He nodded. "I don't want it to be, but I know it is."

"It's not, Scorp. Trust me."

"I do." He smiled, looking at Albus. They remained quiet for a few minutes. "Dad has forbidden me do go anywhere but home and school without him. And he took my broom away for a year as punishment."

"Did he? Isn't that overreacting a little?" He was lying down again, facing his friend.

"Well, he _was_ worried after all." They giggled softly. "Not that it makes much difference while I'm at school. But I was going to ask you to spend some of your summer vacations with me, and I don't think my dad will allow it anymore."

"I'll talk to my dad. Maybe he can help."

"Yeah, maybe." Albus yawned, and so did he. After a few silent moments, he asked quietly, "Al? Can I... can I sleep in your bed tonight?"

"Sure." He smiled, rolling over to the other side of the bed as the blond joined him. "Good night, Scorp."

"'Night, Al." He whispered smiling, and in just a few minutes they were both sleeping peacefully.

Sharing a bed quickly became a weekend habit for them - after all, that way they could talk in a lower voice and it was less likely they'd disturb the other boys. January went by quickly, with all the students trying to readjust to the school routine, and everybody in Hogwarts couldn't help noticing James was more terrible than ever, pulling pranks and making bad comments about anyone who dared look at him the wrong way. All the younger students - and some older ones as well - were afraid of running into him in the hallways - they were lucky to get away having just tripped and being laughed at, and yet professors rarely caught him, so they were unable to punish him -, and he constantly looked either grumpy and sending killer glances at his brother, or terribly naughty, planning his next big joke. Even his friends had pulled away a bit, and Frank was the only one still constantly seen beside him, trying to dissuade him from whatever he was up to next.

As Scorpius would find out one night talking to Albus, the older Potter seemed to be taking out his frustration for his father's punishments on everybody around. After being caught using Harry's Invisibility Cloak to spy on him, James had been deprived of his Firebolt V for a month, and as he wouldn't stop complaining about it - it was unfair!, he'd done nothing wrong!, how was he going to play with a school broom?, he'd never win a match again! -, Harry had also forbidden him from playing for a month (with McGonagall's consent; the entire staff thought the boy needed punishment. Nobody had been as troublesome since the Weasley twins, and many of them had heard Potter _bragging_ about receiving detentions). Both boys had laughed as quietly as they could that night, but still almost jumped on the bed as they heard Thales mumble something in his sleep and turn around, thinking they had woken him up.

February was another cold month, heated up only by Valentine's Day halfway through. Despite his behavior, James seemed as popular as ever, having many cards and a few treats delivered to his table during breakfast. Both to Albus's and Scorpius's surprise, the boys also got three cards each - anonymous, but it wasn't hard to find which girls they were from, judging by the excessive giggling from some groups -, and they teased each other for it for the rest of the day. Professor Snape seemed even stricter that day - only them and a Gryffindor girl didn't lose house points in that class, and no less than a third of them left the room with detentions -, and as they learned later from some older Slytherins, he was always like that - and the boys made them laugh by saying it was probably because he's never had anyone to share Valentine's with.

Gryffindor had fallen to the third place in the run for the Quidditch cup without their star player, and to relieve the team's dissatisfaction, James had been imposed a strict practice schedule that kept him blessedly busy all week long. After the second-to-last game of the season, won by one of the largest score difference in the school's history, the lion house finally caught up with the serpent house, for another classic final, scheduled for mid-April.

The day of the game rose cloudy, like it hadn't in weeks, with a light rain and a strong wind making them all cold and wet, but it didn't keep anybody from expressing the support from the bleachers. The match lasted two long hours, though the rain subsided half-way through, leaving everybody slightly blinded by the sunlight suddenly hitting them. Gryffindor had a lead of just 30 points when the Slytherin seeker first saw the snitch, triggering a tight race to get the little golden ball, which seemed to take great pleasure in making both players squeeze through the tightest spaces and make sharp curves, nearly falling off their brooms before disappearing once again. It was only at the third attempt that the snitch was caught by the sixth-year boy from the serpent house, after the boy from the lion house tried to dodge the bleachers and a bludger coming from opposite directions and ended up on the ground.

To say the Gryffindors were enraged by the result would be an understatement, but it had been a fair match - it had actually been several years since any teams cheated -, and the students from the other two houses didn't seem to mind too much, some of them even stopping by the locker room exit to congratulate the players. James had to be held by two older students before he could jump on the Slytherin seeker, and was thrown under a cold shower - which triggered a parade of curse words - for several minutes until all the other players agreed he was calm enough to be let out. So they'd lost the Quidditch Cup; the Potter boy didn't have to cost them the House Cup as well.

As the temperatures started rising, so did the tension among the students and the staff, with the final exams approaching. But also coming was Scorpius 12th birthday, as Albus would find out, and to cheer his friend up - he was still a little quieter than he used to be -, he decided to plan something special with the other two boys they shared the dorm with, all in secret. After the first few days acting hurt because his friends kept whispering things behind his back and changed the subject every time he came around, he gave up trying to find out what it was all about - Albus wouldn't be able to keep the secret for long anyway -, and instead turned to his books, beginning the reviews for the final exams, still a whole month away.

"Hey, Frankie!" Albus called one day, when they met at the entrance of the Great Hall. It was a Tuesday, and Scorpius party would be that Friday night. "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure, Al. What do you need?" He asked with a smile as they walked away from the door.

"Listen, hm..." He started, looking around and lowering his voice, forcing the blond to lean closer in order to hear him. "It's Scorp's birthday this week and I wanted to get him something special. I've overheard James talking once about going to Hogsmeade when it wasn't a visitation day and I thought maybe you would know how he does that."

"You do know that's against the school rules, don't you?" He raised an eyebrow, and the brunet nodded. "And that it could even get you expelled?" He watched as the younger boy nodded again. "Okay. Good. Because in that case, I'm not the one who told you there's a secret passage behind the one-eyed witch statue on the third floor that opens when you say _Dissendium_. It leads to the cellar of a sweets shop called Honeydukes." He whispered and blinked one eye before turning around and walking calmly to the Gryffindor table. As Albus made his way to his own table, a large smile was drawn on his face, and luckily Scorpius hadn't come down for breakfast yet, or he was almost certain he'd blow the surprise.

Albus wasn't sure when to go to Hogsmeade - he was terrified of being found out -, and couldn't choose between late at night after the other boys had gone to bed or early in the morning before they woke up. Because at any other moment of the day he'd probably be with Scorpius, and he wanted it to be a surprise. After overhearing some older students talking about how the professors patrolled the hallways until two in the morning (and wondering how they managed to get through the whole day without falling asleep at some inconvenient moment, having slept so little during the night), he opted for the second alternative.

It was already Friday, and he tried to get dressed as quietly as he could while carefully watching the other boys to make sure they wouldn't wake up. He left the Slytherin Dungeon tiptoeing and paying close attention to every little noise in the castle, at that hour highly magnified by the oppressing silence. He wore plain muggle clothes, fearing that it would be far worse to be seen in his school robes when he wasn't supposed to leave the grounds of Hogwarts, even though it was quite obvious by his appearance he wasn't supposed to be anywhere near the village at that time. But the fact that he'd land in Honeydukes was already a great advantage, since it was exactly what he'd planned to get Scorpius - though he'd like to complement with some jokes from Zonko's - his dad had brought him some treats the last time he'd been in the village and he'd thought them quite entertaining -, he knew it was too much of a risk.

The walk from the statue in the castle to the candy shop took longer than Albus had predicted, and he kept consulting his watch all the time, fearing he might arrive at Honeydukes after it was open and be caught by someone in the staff - they most surely were in close contact with the school faculty to report such incidents, right? -, and he was having a look around the cellar, no more than a couple of minutes there, when he heard noises coming from above his head and hid behind some boxes just in time to avoid being seen by a middle-aged man laughing at something that had been said before he came downstairs.

After tense seconds during which he tried to hold his breath as much as he could and stay as still as possible, the man was gone and Albus breathed out a sigh of relief. He quietly got out of his hideaway and looked through the boxes and bags around, grabbing a little of everything, but particularly a lot of blood-flavored lollipops - Scorpius's favorite. He stuffed it all into his backpack, from where he took out a quill, a piece of parchment and a bottle of ink and scribbled a note to the shop owners. It read he was sorry to take things without permission, but hoped a galleon would cover for everything he'd taken - and then followed with a detailed list of every item he 'bought'. He'd been to his uncle George's shop a few times and knew how important it was to know exactly what was taken from the stock.

He left the note held in place by the golden coin somewhere he knew it would be easily seen and ran back to the castle. He wasn't too far from the shop yet when he heard people entering the cellar again, and ran even faster. He never heard the same man he'd seen before laugh and comment with his wife that at least this time the children had the common sense of leaving them a note and some money for the treats they'd taken.

He took several deep breaths before moving the statue and getting back into the castle, wishing with all his might not to meet anyone - or at least no professors - on his way back to his dorm. The only people he saw were a couple of older students - sixth, perhaps seventh-years - from Ravenclaw who were too entertained in their conversation to even notice him. He'd barely thrown all the sweets into his suitcase and closed it when he heard Scorpius moving and mumbling, and after a moment the blond sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"What are you doing up so early?" His voice dragged a little from his sleepiness, and it was easy to tell he was fighting to keep his eyes open.

"I... Don't know. Couldn't continue sleeping, so I figured I might as well get up." He lied, looking everywhere but at his friend. Luckily, at his current condition, Scorpius didn't give it a second thought, yawning and slowly throwing his feet off the side of the bed.

"Well, if you'll give me five minutes, I'll join you for breakfast." He yawned again, stumbling a little on his way to his wardrobe, and then disappearing into the bathroom.

Albus sighed relieved when his friend disappeared, sitting back down on his own bed and trying to repress a yawn. It would be hard to stay awake the whole day, but it was going to be worth it. Scorpius would love his surprise, and he could barely wait until it was time. The day seemed to drag, and the brunet had been in charge of keeping the blond out of their dorm room until everything was set up - Frankie had taught them a few easy spells to redecorate the room -, which he easily did inviting the boy for a game of chess.

The gleam in Scorpius's eyes when he entered their dorm room, to find it full of colorful things hanging from the ceiling, and a banner floating in front of his bed wishing him a happy birthday was priceless. But they were much too young to enjoy _partying_, so mostly they stayed up late talking about various subjects, until Thales could no longer keep his eyes open and fell asleep in the middle of a heated debate about Quidditch teams, making the other three laugh. But Lynus quickly followed him, and once again Albus and Scorpius were the only ones still awake in the room.

The decoration had disappeared some time before - it was, after all, designed to only last a short while -, and they were sitting in Albus's bed, fighting their heavy eyelids and trying to find something else to talk about. After they'd been silent for a couple of minutes - and Scorpius manifested his strong tendencies to call it a night -, the brunet jumped off his bed under suddenly very attentive silver eyes, and pulled out his birthday present for his best friend.

"What is this?" The blond asked with a big smile, not waiting for an answer to open the bag.

"Happy birthday." Albus smiled back, enjoying the way the other boy vibrated with every discovery he made while searching the bag. "You said your parents don't let you eat a lot of candy, so I thought you'd like that." He said a few minutes later, shrugging lightly.

"Thank you!" He looked up quickly, his smile growing even bigger. "Blood-flavored lollipops! You remembered!" He immediately opened one and put it into his mouth, closing his eyes to better enjoy the taste, and Albus giggled. That day they weren't at all concerned about the others sleeping; they knew they were so tired they wouldn't wake up, no matter how loud they talked.

"I thought you wanted to sleep. Don't you know you have to brush your teeth before going to bed?" Albus joked as the other boy put away his presents, remembering when James had offered them a similar bag and he'd discovered the blond's preferences.

"Just this one time, mom!" He complained with a smile, and the brunet stuck his tongue out to him, as they lay under the covers of Albus's bed. "Thanks for today, Al. It was amazing." He whispered, his voice slightly muffled by the candy in his mouth.

"I'm glad you liked it Scorp." They looked at each other with a smile.

"Good night." He said before turning sideways, his back to Albus.

"Good night, Scorp." He giggled softly before doing the same, both boys almost instantly falling asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

The final exams were tough on everybody, especially the fifth- and seventh-year students, who saw a fair share of their classmates take a few days' holiday in the Hospital Wing once the tests were over. Albus and Scorpius were also relieved, and spent the last week at the castle talking and playing chess. The school grounds looked wonderful during the summer, even though it was already a little too warm for anyone to be comfortable (and then they discovered just how advantageous it could be to live in the dungeons), and just like them, most students spent their time sitting under trees or with their feet soaking in the fresh water of the lake.

The ride home was a bit tenser this time around; even though all the boys missed their families, they'd grown pretty close to one another over the year, and being apart for so long felt very awkward. Especially for Scorpius, who was certain he'd spend two months completely isolated from everybody else, since he was grounded. The sun shone brightly during the whole journey, and fueled by candies, they talked and joked all the way, sharing their plans and complaining about the homework they'd been assigned.

"So... You'll write me, won't you?" Albus asked, blushing slightly. They were standing in the platform at King's Cross Station, reluctant to go find their families.

"Yeah, sure. You too, right?"

"Yeah." They smiled at each other, still not moving. "I'll talk to my dad. Maybe he can do something, maybe we could see each other for a little while."

"Yeah, maybe."

"Come on, little brother! Mom said she'd cook my favorite dish tonight!" James had jumped between them with a smile, grabbing Albus's arm and pulling him away.

"See you, Scorp!" He said loudly, trying to keep up with his brother while carrying his suitcase and looking back. He saw the blond boy wave at him before tripping and looking ahead, closely avoiding the fall, and when he looked back again, his friend was gone. Sighing, he turned to the boy who was still holding is arm, and tried pulling it. "I can walk alone, James." He complained, gaining a frown before being let go.

"Fine. Have it your way. Just hurry up."

"You don't have to run. Food's not going to run away."

"Shut up." He said quietly, as they were very close to their parents already.

"So, everybody ready to go home?" Harry asked with a smile, after Ginny and him had hugged both sons. The boys nodded and they walked into the muggle side of the station, and then to the parking lot, to the kids' surprise. "So? What do you think?" Harry asked with a smile, standing beside a large car.

"What? That's yours?" James raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I thought it would be fun, so I got a license to drive it. It's very convenient to go around the muggle world."

"I like it, dad." Albus smiled, climbing inside, where both Ginny and Lily already were.

"Come on, Jamie. It'll be fun." Harry encouraged, getting in himself.

"Can I drive it?" The older boy asked, just his head in, smiling again.

"When you're old enough, maybe." He frowned, making Harry laugh. "Now get in."

The ride home was quiet, with the two younger kids falling asleep to the motion of the car and James planning how he was going to take the vehicle without being caught.

Harry was sitting in the study after dinner, enjoying a glass of wine and a book by the fire, when Albus asked to talk to him. "Sure, Al. Come on, sit over here with me." He invited, leaving the book on the side table with the glass and patting the space next to him. "What's up?"

"Uh... It's... It's about Scorp."

"Okay. What about Scorpius?"

"His dad has grounded him for what he did on Christmas day."

"I would think so."

"And he said we won't be able to see each other again until classes return because of that, and he wanted me to go visit him, and I want him to come visit us too!" The boy said agitated, and Harry tried to hide his smile the best he could. He knew very well where that conversation was going.

"Well, that's between his dad and him, isn't it, Al? He did something bad, and now he has to be punished for it."

"But dad! He knows it was wrong! He's sorry, and he won't do it again!"

"I can't tell Malfoy how to raise his son, Albus. He has to do what he thinks is right."

"But can't you talk to him? That punishment is unfair!"

"Is that what you would like me to do?" The boy nodded vehemently. "But even if I talk to his dad, there's no way of knowing if it'll make any difference."

"But can't you try?" Albus looked at him like an abandoned puppy alone in the rain, and he couldn't keep a serious face anymore, allowing his lips to curl up in a large smile.

"I'll talk to him, Al. But I can't promise you anything, okay?"

"Okay!" He smiled, jumping up. "Thanks, dad!" He said cheerfully, rushing out of the room.

Harry shook his head slightly, still smiling and picking the book up again. He had already scheduled a meeting with Malfoy, knowing his son would ask him to do something about Scorpius's situation. Two days later, he stepped out of the fireplace into the Malfoy Manor, where Astoria received him with a hug and led him to Draco's office. He didn't know the woman very well, and barely remembered her from his school days, but they had clicked instantly, and though they hadn't yet talked much, they could already tell they shared many opinions.

"Draco? Harry's here." She called from one side of the closed door, after knocking a couple of times.

"Tell him to come in." Was the answer from inside, and Astoria opened the door for Harry, closing it again once he was inside. The brunet looked around curiously, slowly walking ahead. It was a large room, the two walls on his left and right covered in wooden shelves, a small sitting area near the door and a large desk, where Draco sat, in front of a big window. "Sit down, Potter." The blond called, without raising his eyes. Once Harry had taken a chair in front of him, he sighed, looking up. "How may I help you?"

"I came to talk about Scorpius."

"I don't think it's your place to interfere in how I raise him, Potter." He said in a conclusive tone, turning his attention back to the papers before him.

"Don't you think you're being a little too strict with him?" Harry insisted.

"Maybe. But he needs to know I'm serious, so I can't take it back."

"But you admit you overreacted?" He raised an eyebrow, and Draco sighed.

"I know I did. But I had my reasons, and now it's done."

"I know you were worried about Scorpius and that you love him, but grounded for a year?"

"What do you want, Potter?" He sounded tired, dropping his quill and crossing his fingers over his desk.

"Charlie Weasley invited us to go visit him at his Dragon Sanctuary. I thought it would be a great experience for Scorpius."

"Why would you care about that?" He raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"He's Albus's best friend. And that kind of thing is a lot better done with friends. James is also taking someone."

"That's very kind of you, but I'll decline. I very much enjoy my son being alive, Potter."

"He'll be safe, I promise!" He said with a smile. "I'll be there, and so will Charlie and Ginny, and the other people who work there. Nothing to worry about."

"I remember the last time I saw you with a dragon. You nearly got killed." His brow raised even higher.

"I survived, didn't I?"

"I don't want him just to _survive_, Potter."

"And I was 14 and alone back then."

"Still, I decline." He looked back down, and Harry studied him for long, quiet minutes.

"What were your reasons?"

"What?" Draco looked confusedly at the green eyes.

"You said you had reasons to overreact. What were they?"

"It's none of your business, Potter."

"Tell me." It wasn't an order, but a friendly request. He guessed that the blond didn't have anyone to discuss it with, and found out he was right when, after a few silent minutes, the other man decided to talk.

"Ever since the Death Eaters' trials we escaped, my dad and me, but my mom as well, to an extent, receive death threats all the time. It's no big deal for me, I can defend myself. But since Scorpius was born, there have been threats to him as well. They say all the terrible things they'd do to him, things I never considered even as a Death Eater, and though I try not to pay attention, those images get stuck in your mind, you know?" He'd hidden his face in his hands, and never saw Harry nod. "When he disappeared... I just kept thinking about all those letters, and what could be happening to him. I couldn't bear the thought of not being able to protect him, the thought of losing him."

"I'm sorry." It was all Harry could think of to say.

"So now you see why I freaked out." Draco sighed, looking up.

"I do. Am I right in thinking you didn't tell Astoria about any of it?"

He nodded. "I didn't want her to worry."

"Look... As a father, I understand that you want to do everything you can to keep him safe, but you need to let him become independent as well. You can't shelter him from the world forever." He said softly, afraid his advice would be seen as him trying to be superior to Malfoy - like always happened when they were at school -, but the reaction it got was at least unexpected.

"I know. But can't I protect him for just a little longer? He's still so young. And he's my only child."

"He's twelve already, Malfoy. And I promise you, there'll be a trustworthy adult watching him at all times."

"Since when are you trustworthy, Potter?" He raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"Why? Do you want to join us?" He was also smiling. How did they ever become friends, after so many years hating each other?

"Merlin, no. I couldn't stand those many redheads for five minutes."

"Hey! They are my family, okay?" He pretended to me mad, and they laughed easily. "Besides, there won't be those many. Just Charlie, Ginny and Lily."

"Still, one too many."

"Well, in that case, you'll just have to trust me."

"Where in our conversation did I imply I'd let him go with you?" Harry suddenly realized the blond was right, and shrugged, slightly embarrassed. "When are you going?"

"I'm thinking the first or second week of August. I thought it would be nice for Albus to spend his birthday somewhere different."

"When's his birthday?"

"August 7th."

Draco looked at him for long moments. "If... you leave after the 3rd, I'll consider your offer, provided that I come along to watch my son."

Harry smiled. "It's a deal, then."

"I just said I'd consider it, Potter. Don't go jumping to conclusions."

"I know you'll give in. Just think of how special it would be for Scorpius."

"That's playing dirty, you know."

"Well... It's the truth, isn't it?" They just smiled at each other. "One more thing. Albus said Scorpius wanted him to come spend a few days here, do you think we could arrange it?"

"You would trust your son in my hands?" He raised a surprised eyebrow.

"Unlike you, I'm not afraid everybody is out to hurt him." He joked, gaining a quick frown followed by a smile.

"Fine. How long were you thinking?"

"A week, maybe two? Enough to do something different, but not enough to get sick of one another."

"Ten days. He can probably come in two weeks, but I'll have to talk to Scorpius before that. And he better behave, Potter. I don't have time or patience to deal with trouble-makers."

"Not to worry, Malfoy." He smiled, standing up. "Albus is a rather quiet boy, he's not like James."

"Yes, from what I heard, that one is terrible." He had also stood up, and led Harry back to the living room. That was the only fireplace guests were allowed to use.

"He... Likes to have a good time."

"Good time, alright..." They laughed.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"What now, Potter? Haven't we talked plenty for one day?"

Harry giggled. "What is it with Malfoys and single children? Are you so lazy that you only do the barely minimum to ensure the family line?" He joked, smiling.

"Not that it's any of your business, but it's just the way it happens. I, for one, haven't been particularly trying to avoid another baby, it's just never happened."

"Oh. Okay then." He shrugged, and they stopped in front of the fireplace. "Thank you for today. And don't worry, your secrets are safe with me."

"They better be, Potter, or you're a dead man." He half-threatened, and saw Harry laugh before disappearing in the green flames.

* * *

When Harry returned home, he found Albus sitting in his room, working on his homework. He stood by the door for a few minutes, just watching him and smiling. He'd changed so much since Christmas, he was taller, his hair was longer and he seemed overall a lot more serious than he used to. If only James could learn a bit of that too, he thought, shaking his head and entering the room, only then being noticed by the boy. Albus turned around in his chair, looking at the man in his bed, the quill left beside the parchment he'd been writing in.

"What's up, dad?" He asked with a smile, rubbing his sore hand.

"How is your work going?"

"Okay, I guess. I didn't know we'd have so much homework to be done, though." He stuck out his tongue, and Harry chuckled.

"You better get used to it, Al. It only increases as you get older."

"Thanks for the encouragement, dad." He frowned slightly, and then smiled.

"Anyway. Remember I told you I'd talk to Scorpius's dad?"

"Yes, of course!" He stood upright, excited. "And?"

"Well, we talked today."

"And?" The boy insisted, and Harry knew he was having too much fun teasing his own son.

"I told him you two wanted to meet during your holiday."

"Tell me what happened already, dad!" He pleaded, and Harry laughed.

"He said you can come over in two weeks, _if _you behave _and_ if you're done with your school work by then."

"Really?" The smile on his face grew and his eyes shone.

"_And_ that he can come with us to visit uncle Charlie next month." If Albus wasn't so controlled, Harry was sure he'd be screaming and jumping up and down, but instead he seemed to think for a moment before turning back around.

"I need to write to Scorp." He said as he pulled out a clean piece of parchment and dipped his quill in the ink.

Harry smiled again, standing up and giving the boy some privacy. As he made his way to the stairs, he stopped by James's room, where his son was lying in his bed, reading a Quidditch magazine and distractedly playing with a Quaffle miniature. "Jamie?" He called from the door.

"Hey, dad."

"Did you talk to Jordan about the trip next month?"

"Yeah, his mom said he can come." He smiled, putting the magazine aside and sitting up.

"Tell him I need a written permission, okay?" The boy nodded. "And don't forget that if you haven't finished your homework by then, you'll be staying here." Harry had to try really hard to contain his smile as he walked away, James's shocked expression still clear in his mind.

The two weeks between Harry and Draco talking and Albus arriving at the Malfoy Manor flew by. The youngest Potter boy was so excited that sleeping was a problem the night before, and he seemed to be in a sugar rush the next morning, while they checked to make sure he'd taken everything he would need. Both Harry and Albus were dressed in dark-wash jeans and button-down shirts - very much what the oldest of them normally wore when he was off-duty but he'd found it rather amusing that his son had wanted to dress up for that -, and after a tight hug from Ginny and another cascade of advices, they entered the fireplace, arriving almost instantly on the other side.

All three Malfoys were waiting for them in the living room, Draco in his usual black suit, Astoria in a fresh and colorful summer dress and Scorpius in light summer robes - which meant he was also dressed up, and Harry chuckled silently, gaining confused looks from both adults. They were just children, and he didn't want to think too much of it, but it certainly was very curious.

As the older Potter politely greeted the hosts, he could see the boys nervously standing in front of each other, in silence. Smiling, he put a hand on his son's shoulder, getting his attention. "Say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, Albus." He instructed.

The boy blushed a little. "H-Hello, Mr. Malfoy." He said nervously, offering a hand to the blond man, who shook it raising an eyebrow to Harry.

"Welcome to our home, Albus. I hope you'll be comfortable here."

"Thank you for inviting me." He said, taking his hand back and turning to the blonde woman. "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy." He also offered her a hand, making her giggle and pull him into a light hug.

"You're a very charming young man, Albus." She complimented as she let him go.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter." The blond boy said formally, after exchanging a look with his father.

"It's really nice to see you again, Scorpius." Harry smiled. A tense moment later, he encouraged, "Why don't you show Albus where he'll stay?"

The boy nodded with a smile, grabbing his friend by the hand and running away, disappearing in a corridor.

"Scorpius! What did I tell you about running in the hallways?" Draco called after him, and they heard the steps slow down.

Harry chuckled. "Let them be kids, Malfoy."

"They need to learn to respect the space they use, Potter." The blond frowned at him.

"They're fine." He smiled. "Well... He should have everything he needs in here." He pointed to the small bag at his feet. "But anything else he needs, just let me know."

Draco nodded. "Don't worry, Potter."

"About the trip..." He turned to the woman with a smile. "Are you coming too, Astoria?"

"Oh, no." She shook her head, smiling apologetically. "I'll take that chance to visit my parents and my sister. It's been a while since I last saw them."

"And they hate me, so it's for the best I'm not there." Draco added, and they smiled.

"Okay, then. I was thinking we could meet at my place before heading for the airport and-"

"Heading where?" The blond man raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"The airport. To take a plane, you know, those muggle flying machines." He smiled.

"Why would we need that? Can't we just Floo there?" He sounded alarmed, almost panicking. "Why would you want to spend that much time surrounded by muggles?"

"I thought it would be fun for the kids." He shrugged, his smile disappearing.

"We can be there instantly through a fireplace. Or maybe a Portkey. But why that muggle thing?"

"Well, we could get to Hogwarts through the fireplace or a Portkey, but what would school be without the train ride?" Draco seemed to ponder on that point for a moment, and Harry added, "Come on. It'll be fun."

The blond man had no idea how much he would regret agreeing to that.

* * *

After three or four hallways, Albus was completely lost, but they finally reached the room he'd be occupying. It was as large as the living room at his home, with a sitting area by the fire, a large desk and a king-size pole bed. The brunet had to try really hard to collect his jaw from the floor, wondering why anybody would need so much space for, and making Scorpius giggle.

"My room is right next door. Do you want to see it?" He invited and they left the guest room quietly.

Scorpius's room was even more impressive. It was bigger than the other room, with large and comfortable couches by the fireplace, a small chess table by the window, a desk covered with books near wooden shelves and a bed much like the other one, decorated in green and silver, the colors of both their school houses and the Malfoy family colors.

The boys spent the rest of the morning exploring the manor (and Albus silently prayed never to get lost there, or he'd never find his way back), except for the areas Draco had forbidden them to visit, making them speculate the man's reasons and come up with many scary stories about what might've happened there. After lunch, they went outside to play with their brooms - Albus had begged his father to let him take his, and somehow Draco returned his son's early -, chasing one another and daring each other to do tricks like flying upside down and standing on the brooms. They were both covered in dirt from the falls by the time the sun went down, and were sent straight to the bathtub.

Albus hadn't noticed there was a private bathroom attached to his room, and it actually made him feel rather intimidated. He had no idea the Malfoys were so important that even the guest rooms had their own bathrooms.

Dinner that day was pretty quiet - it always was at that house -, despite Astoria attempts of asking Albus a few questions, and though he replied politely, either he was still too nervous around them or simply wasn't the talking type, she thought, giving it up.

After dessert, they were sent straight to bed - and they were very tired from their agitated day -, but almost an hour rolling in the bed later, the brunet boy decided he'd had enough and got up. Quietly as he could, he left his room and got into Scorpius's, wondering if his friend was still awake. He closed the door behind himself and walked closer to the bed, trying to see anything in the faint light of the dying flames. He was disappointed to identify the blond's steady breathing and wondered what he could do instead.

Looking around the room, he opted for a book, illuminating it with his wand. Maybe children weren't allowed to do magic away from school, but every child coming from a wizard family knew they wouldn't be traced as long as there was an adult wizard in the house. After a few minutes in one of the couches, he heard Scorpius mumbling and quickly whispered the counter-spell, his eyes fighting to adjust to the darkness.

"Al?" Scorpius called again, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Is that you?"

"Sorry I woke you up, Scorp." He said in a low voice, standing up and leaving the book on the couch.

"Never mind it. Is everything okay?"

The brunet nodded. "I just can't sleep."

They stayed quiet for a few minutes, trying to see more than just each other's silhouettes.

"Do you want to sleep in my bed instead?" Scorpius offered with a smile.

"Is that okay?" He asked hesitantly, walking towards the other boy.

"Sure. Climb up."

Albus thought it was very curious how he instantly felt comforted and relaxed, lying beside the blond, even though the bed was large enough for either of them to lie across it and not reach either end.

This time, they were both asleep within a few moments.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Harry had smartly brought Albus along when he talked to Ginny about the boy staying with the Malfoys, and nobody could forbid that seeing how happy the child was. It also meant he didn't have to hear his wife's complaints until after the kids were asleep, and by then it was already too late, she'd authorized. But breaking the news that not only Scorpius but also Draco would be joining them in their visit to Charlie was a completely different thing.

He found the redhead woman alone at home when he returned from the Malfoy Manor, remembering Ron had invited the kids to enjoy their Saturday out - and having convinced Fred to join them, James couldn't wait to come along. It was probably for the best to take advantage of that and talk to Ginny; he was positive she'd need as much time as she could get to deal with that, and he didn't want her to put up a scandal.

She was sitting in her office, and he got her attention by knocking on the open door. "So? Was he alright?" She asked, turning around. Had they been taking their son anywhere else, she would've made a point of being there, but she point blank refused to set foot in any Malfoy property.

"He was very happy and very excited." He smiled at her, but she just turned back to her newest article, refusing to discuss the matter. Harry sighed, sitting in an armchair to her left. "Did Jordan's mom send you her authorization?"

"Yes, and I've handed it to Hermione already. She's working on turning it into a valid muggle document. I don't know why you'd want to make it so complicated." She replied without looking at him, searching for a paper in the mess of her desk and finding it moments later.

"The kids will enjoy it. James was particularly excited about flying without a broom." He explained for the umpteenth time, and saw Ginny shake her head reprovingly. "Is Rose taking any friends?" He asked, knowing the answer.

"She's still too young for that."

"Albus is."

"Even though you didn't bother telling me, he couldn't stop talking about it." Her voice sounded hostile, and she stopped writing, but still refused to turn around. "I don't like how close he is to that Malfoy boy, and I most certainly don't like you encouraging it."

"Scorpius is a good boy, Gin." He rubbed his temples, trying to push away the headache he could feel already emerging. "Albus will enjoy himself more with him there."

"Did you tell Malfoy when the boy has to be here?"

"Yes, they'll be here about half an hour before we're scheduled to leave for the airport."

"Malfoy doesn't have to come. The boy is old enough to Floo on his own."

"Ginny... Malfoy's coming too."

"I'm sorry, I think I didn't understand what you just said." Her anger was more than evident on her voice, and it was clear how hard she was trying to control herself as she finally looked into the emerald-green eyes.

"I know you don't like it. But it was the condition for Scorpius to come."

"Then you should've left the boy!" She said, her voice growing louder.

"Think of Albus, Gin, and how much it means to him."

"I-" She honestly didn't know how to react to that. There were too many things going through her head, and she was more confused than clarified by it. "Get out, Harry." She asked in a low voice.

"Gin, I know-"

"Please, Harry. I have a lot to think about. Just leave me alone for a while, okay?"

Harry sighed. "Okay. When you're ready to talk, I'll probably be in the study." He saw her hiding her face in her hands as he left, closing the door behind himself.

After a couple of hours reading, his stomach began roaring and he decided to go ask Ginny what she'd like for lunch, but she was nowhere to be found. She was probably off flying to clear her head - it had always been one of her favorite ways of doing so -, or perhaps had gone to talk to some friend. Either way, he wasn't willing to cook just for himself, and instead went to a small pub around the corner.

Later that day, Ron called him to say the kids would be staying at the Burrow that night - which was pretty common during holidays, especially because Molly, like any grandmother, loved spoiling her grandchildren (which had gotten countless complains from all her children). Ginny only returned home well after the sun had gone down, and Harry had fallen asleep by the fireplace waiting for her.

"Harry." She called from the door, startling him.

"Gin! You're back!" He smiled, standing up.

"I talked to Charlie. He knew Malfoy is coming." She said coldly, dodging from Harry's kiss.

"Yeah, well, I thought he ought to." He replied surprised.

"Why weren't I the first informed? Merlin, why weren't I _consulted_ about it?"

"Because I knew you'd freak out." He mumbled. "It's not important, Gin. And it's no big deal."

"I- Of course it is a big deal!"

"Charlie didn't care."

"Well, he's not the one who'll have to stand that weasel, is he?"

"What, now we're back to school name-calling, are we?" He asked annoyed. Hadn't they long outgrown that?

"I..." She shook her head, massaging her temples and pacing a little. She suddenly stopped and turned to Harry. "Wasn't the boy grounded for running away on Christmas? A whole year, wasn't it?"

"I talked to Malfoy. I suppose six months were enough of a punishment for him." He shrugged lightly, sitting back down.

"What kind of grounding is that?" She sat across from him and he attempted a weak smile, but she looked away. "Not to mention it makes no difference while he's at school. He couldn't go anywhere anyway, and first years can't have their own brooms." She added quietly.

"I guess his idea of being grounded is not being able to do what you want when you want it, not losing privileges. He's always been really spoiled."

"It makes no sense. And what is the poor boy going to learn from that? That being punished depends on his father's whims?"

"Now he's a poor boy?" He raised an eyebrow, glad they weren't practically yelling at each other anymore.

"You know what I mean. And that's all the more reason for me not to want him around our son."

He rolled his eyes. "And we're back to that."

"I'm sorry if I ever gave you the wrong impression, Harry, but Albus also happens to be _my_ son, and I actually _care_ about him. But ever since he's gone to Hogwarts, you've been acting like you're his single father, ignoring my opinions and going over my decisions at will. As far as I remember, you weren't Malfoy's fan, but since that boy became friends with Albus, you're always the first to stand up for them. Did something happen between you that you never told me, or has he put a spell on you or something? Because you're not the same Harry you were when we got together." Ginny sighed, somewhat relieved to put all that out, even if it made her feel guilty, as if she wasn't trying hard enough to make their relationship work. But the truth was, they had been differing for a long time now, and the sudden proximity between the old school enemies had just put it even more in evidence. As reluctant as she was to admit it, they'd been drifting apart, and she could hardly recognize him, let alone understand, anymore.

"I never doubted you love Albus, or that you just want what's best for him. But, no offense, you're a Weasley, and your family tends to react first and think later. So I feel obligated to be the one who'll behave reasonably, for all our sakes, Gin. And if you weren't so caught up in that... Childish, and yes, it _is_ childish, resentment against him, you would be able to see it clearly. But instead, you just think of what the Malfoys were, what they told people they were and did, and though I can't vouch for Malfoy's parents, I've been talking to him, and he's changed. And you can see that reflected on Scorpius. If the Malfoys were still what you think they are, Scorpius would be just like his dad was, and they would've instilled in him a great hostility towards us, don't you think?"

"I don't know, Harry. What I do know is the damage that family caused to all of us. I know they were on the dark side, and only deserted Voldemort to save their own skins, not to lose their fortune. And that they never really did anything good, and that's not the kind of influence I want Albus to have."

"I know what they did, Gin. And I also know that Malfoy was never all that he bragged to be. He certainly wasn't evil, blood-thirsty or sadistic. I think he was just under a lot of pressure, and bad pressure. After all, he couldn't kill Dumbledore, could he? Not even to save his dad from Voldemort's ire."

"Just because he cowered from-"

"Don't say that." He sounded a little harsher than they both expected, and he took a deep breath to calm back down. "You don't know what it's like to have to kill somebody, Ginny, so don't judge him on that account."

"And you do, do you, Harry?" She frowned, looking away from him.

"I killed Voldemort, didn't I?" He asked quietly.

"Voldemort wasn't a person, he was a monster. He doesn't count."

Harry sighed. "Can we please not talk about that? It's over, and we should focus on the present, okay?"

"Well, the present is, your son's best friend has a grandfather who killed who knows how many people, who damn near killed _me_, and a father who joined him in exterminating from the planet all those who didn't agree with them."

"No, Ginny, the present is, Albus has found someone special who he's grown very attached to, who cares about him, who is his _friend_. And you're letting old misconceptions about other people damage your relationship with your son, with me, and create unnecessary tension in this house."

"Misconceptions, Harry?" She looked back at him, her eyebrow raised. "Are you telling me that when I saw him fighting beside Voldemort, that was just my eyes pulling tricks on me? Or that when a damn diary almost sucked my life out of me, that I was mistaken, and it was all, what, a dream? Or that-"

"What I'm telling you is that people can change, and they do, and you have to give them a chance before passing judgment!" He was slightly altered, his voice coming out a little louder than he would've liked it to.

"Fine. Then tell me, how has Malfoy changed? How can you know it's not just an act? Since you're telling me what he did at school _was_ an act, so he must be a pretty good actor."

"I... It's going to sound stupid, but I just know that, Gin. Besides, you saw him on Christmas, he was completely desperate, _worried_ about Scorpius, and not angry at him. And he accepted my help, he came to our house and accepted our hospitality, and not once he made a bad comment about any of us, did he? You say he's... evil, but you won't even talk to him. I have. More than once, and he's a very decent person. I never thought it would be possible, but we talked like friends, and not once raised our voices or called each other names or anything. And you should think about his side too, Gin. Most people still see him for what his father did, and they're very much isolated from the rest of the wizard world. It's hard on them too. And maybe that's why Scorpius and Albus are so close; the boy probably didn't have anyone to play with when he was growing up, and they both know what it feels like to be judged by the name they carry instead of who they are. Even if they're still too young to see it."

"Just because two _adults_ managed to talk in a civilized manner, and he's being rightfully shut out by the rest of the wizard community, it doesn't mean he has changed, Harry."

"Fine. Then think about it from this angle. If Scorpius is friends with Albus, we also get to influence him. And maybe we can save him from the _terrible_ Malfoy family he has. It's one less _evil_ person in the world." He said sarcastically.

"It's become impossible to talk to you, Harry. Clearly, whatever time you've spent around Malfoy, has already been too long." She stood up, shaking her head lightly. "I wonder what happened to that guy who used to be so nice and understanding." She said as she left the room.

"What happened to the courage of Gryffindor, Ginny?" He called after her. "You're the one running away from this conversation, aren't you?"

"As if there was anything else to talk about." She replied, standing a couple of steps out the door, her back turned to him. "We clearly have diametrically opposite opinions, and none of us is either willing to change or capable of convincing the other to do so. And I have better things to do than to repeat and explain myself to somebody who's not willing to listen."

"I could say the same, you know. And Malfoy is still coming, like it or not."

"Don't expect me to be polite to him. Or to acknowledge him at all." She said before walking upstairs. Harry stood up and poured himself a double dose of Firewhisky to try to push away the massive headache that had hit him.

Sunday went by without them exchanging another word, and James and Lily only returned when it was almost dinner time. Harry invited Ron and Hermione eat with them, but both of them could sense something was very wrong between the other two, and politely refused. The kids spent supper babbling about all they'd done, helping diminish the evident discomfort that had installed itself in the house. Once they were tucked in bed, Harry returned to the study and cast a spell on the couch, so it'd be bigger and more comfortable to spend another night in.

It was mid-morning on Monday, and Harry was sitting in his cubicle - okay, his name and fame had granted him a little more than a cubicle, but the room was still very small and crumpled -, when a platinum-blond man stormed into his door, bumping into the desk and letting out more curse words than Harry could remember, making it nearly impossible for the brunet to hide his laughter. Once they had both calmed down, he pointed to a chair across the desk, but was completely ignored by Draco, who suddenly remembered what he was doing there.

"This, Potter! What are these bloody things?" He asked, shaking a hand in which there were a few crumpled papers.

"Since we're travelling the muggle way, we need muggle documents. Hermione said it would be pretty simple to get them, we just need to fill the forms and-"

"It's not enough that we're spending hours in the company of muggles, but you're also telling me I'll have to... deal with paperwork just to do that? Instead of going by fireplace?"

"I don't see why you're so upset, Malfoy." He was still standing, and pointed again to the chair. This time, Draco sat down, leaving the papers over his desk. "You just have to fill those, get a written permission from Astoria, and-"

"And why do you think I have time for any of it? It's bad enough that I'm having to rush to get everything ready for our week-long holiday, I can't waste time with... with this."

"Come on. It won't take long. It's faster than coming all the way here to complain, I assure you." He raised a playful eyebrow, and the other man snorted. "It's just those, the authorization, and some copies of certificates. I've already dealt with the tickets and money exchange and all the rest. And it'll be fun. If you work as hard as you say-"

"I _do_, Potter."

"Well, in that case, the holiday will be very welcome, don't you think?"

"Tell me again why I agreed to this insanity?" He hid his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes.

"Because you love Scorpius. And you know it's going to be fun. Now come on, just fill these and I'll deliver them to Hermione myself." He pushed the papers back to Draco, offering him a quill. After a dubious look, he began filling in the information, under Harry's attentive eye. "See? It wasn't too hard. If you give me your authorization, I'll get the documents for you."

"Fine, you have it. One less thing to worry about."

He reached into a drawer and pulled out a piece of parchment, handing it to Draco. "And here's a standard underage travelling authorization form. I thought they'd send it with the rest of the documents, but apparently they didn't. Astoria just needs to sign it, okay?"

"Whatever you say." He replied, taking the paper and running his eyes through it. "And since when you and my wife became so close you treat each other on a first-name basis?" He asked raising an eyebrow, pretending to be jealous but with curiosity evident in his tone.

"Good question. We just clicked, I suppose." He smiled. "She's not a typical Slytherin."

"No, she's not." He rolled his eyes.

"And that's a good thing, you know."

"So I keep telling myself." He joked, standing up.

"It's true. Trust me." Harry also stood.

"Well, as I said, I'm a very busy man. So if you'll excuse me..." He turned to leave.

"Hey, how's Albus, by the way?"

"He's fine. Those two are together every minute of every day, I don't know how they don't get tired of each other." He smiled. "But I suppose it's a good thing. I always thought Scorpius was too lonely, and he does seem happier."

"So does Albus." He smiled back, and they looked at each other for another moment before the blond left in silence, leaving Harry alone with his red tape.

* * *

Albus and Scorpius soon created a routine for those days they were spending together: the late-night talks were going further and further into the night - and how it made them feel grown up to stay up late! -, so they began waking up mid-morning, and despite Draco's threats they wouldn't get breakfast if they weren't at the table at the right time, Elly, the house-elf mainly responsible for the blond boy since he had been born, always took them a light snack in Scorpius's bedroom as soon as they were up.

When the weather allowed, they spent the remaining of their morning outside, playing and spending the excess energy children always have. As Draco never had lunch with them, and Astoria knew of their habits, lunch began being served at one instead of noon. After eating, the woman prudently didn't allow them to go running around, so they'd play chess for a while - the time spent on the games varied, but was never less than an hour - and Astoria had even played against them one day it rained all afternoon, losing terribly from both boys, but enjoying herself nonetheless.

Once they were done with chess, they'd return outside - they already spent too long inside when they were at school - and one of the house elves would take them snacks late in the afternoon for improvised picnics. Draco was usually back by dinner, and they still had some spare time after eating, normally spent in another game of chess - occasionally a few rounds of Exploding Snap, but that game was too simple to really entertain them -, under the watchful eye of the older man, who had to work hard not to look too impressed.

A whole week had already gone by, and they were again lying under a tree, having some sandwiches and finding pictures in clouds, the setting sun coloring everything golden-orange. "How come you don't like flying?" Scorpius asked, taking a bite from his sandwich. He was lying on his back, his free hand under his head. "That's a pixie." He pointed up with his index finger, the bread being held by the rest of the hand.

"I just don't see what's so fun about it. And it's a hippogryph's head, not a pixie." Albus replied, repressing a yawn. Both his hand were under his head, and being so still was making his eyelids heavy.

"You're good at it. I'm sure you'd get a place in the Quidditch team if you tried."

"I'll leave that to you, thanks." He half-smiled, looking at the other boy from the corner of his eye. "What position are you aiming for?"

"Seeker, like my dad." He turned his head to the brunet with a wide smile, making him giggle. "What?" He asked, pretending to be upset.

"You think you can play better than that seventh-year - what's his name again?"

"Boulstridge. And I can be a reserve player. He _will_ graduate this year, you know."

"Okay, sorry." He said smiling. "So you're taking your broom to school this year, then?"

"Yeah. Any advantage I can get." He smiled, their eyes meeting for a moment before he looked up again. "Will you come and watch me try out?"

"It will be _boring_, Scorp." Albus said, his voice dragging, and rolling his eyes. "And I'm sure you'll get in."

"Oh, come on! Be a good friend and support me, won't you?"

"Fine, fine, whatever." He pretended to be annoyed, but didn't bother hiding his smile. "When is it?"

"Second weekend after classes start. It always is."

The brunet nodded. "Do you know if Thales or Lynus are also trying for the team?"

"I think Lynus wants to be a beater, but he's too small for that." They smiled at each other; the boy was taller than both of them, but indeed still too little for such a position.

"And the girls?"

Scorpius shook his head. "They are too girly for that." They giggled. "Can you imagine them covered in mud and bruises?"

They laughed, and began suggesting different scenarios where the girls seemed even more disjointed than the previous. Their stomachs already hurt from laughing, they were flushed and had tears on the corner of their eyes when a house-elf popped beside them, to tell them Astoria had asked them both to return to the manor. They still had to bathe before dinner.

The boys were still talking as they got inside and, distracted by the conversation, went together into Scorpius's bathroom, only realizing what they were doing after they were half-naked. But it wasn't like Albus had never showered with other boys; he used to do that all the time with James when he was little, though they hadn't in quite a few years. And Scorpius knew he'd end up showering with his teammates quite often once he was on the team. So they just looked at each other and shrugged, figuring it would be a lot more fun like that, and got underwater.

Over half an hour later, all the fingers wrinkly and every last corner of the room covered in water and foam, the same house elf from earlier that day knocked on the door and transmitted Astoria's orders that it was time for them to get out of the water, unless they wanted to end up sick. The elf had also brought them clean clothes, and they laughed some more before getting dressed, meeting the blonde woman in the living room.

The last two days Albus spent in the manor went by faster than either boy would've liked them to, and they tried asking their parents for just another night, but both Harry and Draco were firm in their decision. They did, however, give them another hour or so to play as they talked over tea, and at least they'd meet again in just a week, for some more great adventures.

Ginny was thrilled to see her son again, and if on the one hand he had to stand her hugs and kisses - he was pretty sure she was checking to make sure his days with _those people_, as she called them, hadn't left any permanent damage -, on the other, James seemed to have created a whole new arsenal of jokes and pranks aimed for him.

That week was pretty hectic at the Potter household, between the adults making sure their work was up to date and wouldn't suffer from their trip, James rushing with his homework not to be left behind, and all of them double- and triple-checking to make sure they weren't forgetting anything they needed. Jordan arrived on the day before they were scheduled to leave, and from the moment he set foot on the house until they left for the airport, he and James were all secrets, whispering back and forth all the time, and spending most of the day locked in the brunet's room. Harry was also freaking out that week, as the muggle documents they'd need didn't seem to arrive, and only relaxed when Hermione personally brought them to him the night before, well after dinnertime. Except for the Malfoys, who'd arrive the next day, everything was set. And Harry couldn't help the shiver that ran down his spine. What had he gotten himself into?


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Albus woke up early the day of the trip, excited. His bags were already packed and sitting at the end of his bed; the clothes he'd wear neatly set over his desk and chair, beside his wand. By the time he went down to the kitchen, both his parents and Lily were already having breakfast, and smiled at him as he joined them. The ate mostly in silence, both adults repressing yawns and the girl asking a few questions, but still too sleepy to talk as much as she normally did.

"Will you go get the boys, Gin? Malfoy should arrive soon." Harry asked as he stood up, leaving his mug and plate inside the sink.

"Sure, Harry." The woman mumbled as he walked out. "Can't you do that for me, honey?" She asked Albus a few moments later. "I still need to finish packing some things."

"Must I, mom?" He pouted his lip.

"Be a good boy, Al." She insisted.

"Okay, okay, I'm going." He got up and left his dirty dishes with his father's before going back upstairs. He didn't like having to wake James up; the boy was always in a bad mood and took it out on him. Albus took a few deep breaths on his way, and knocked once on the door before trying the doorknob, surprised to find it open. "James, mom said-" He begun as he stepped inside, but silenced when he saw the selection of magazines on the floor. He didn't recognize any of the titles; he'd never seen them before, or he would've remembered: they all had mostly-naked women on the cover. Both boys had woken up when he called, and took a minute looking at his intrigued face before realizing the reason behind it.

"Shut the door, Albus!" James hissed, sitting up and grabbing all the magazines within reach, Jordan mimicking him after a moment.

"You're not supposed to read that." The younger boy stated simply, standing by the door after closing it.

"Oh, really?" James snorted, sitting on the edge of the bed and wrapping a blanked around his waist before getting up to pick the rest of the magazines. "Don't tell mom and dad."

Albus stood there in silence for a while longer, watching the boys hide the compromising material under the mattress. And he _really_ thought their mom didn't know?

"What do you want anyway?" The older Potter asked, frowning at his brother and sitting back on the bed.

"Mom asked me to wake you up or we'll be late." He replied with a light shrug, opening the door.

"Hey, Al?" James called, and he turned around, one hand on the doorknob holding the door open. "You're not telling, are you?"

"Maybe you can have some of the magazines if you want?" Jordan offered with a tentative smile.

"Not interested." He replied before leaving, already planning how to use that information for his own advantage.

Albus returned to his bedroom and flew his bags downstairs - he didn't have many chances to use magic while on vacation, and now he had a legitimate excuse -, leaving his backpack on top of the suitcases just as he heard Scorpius and Draco arriving.

"Scorp!" He called, smiling and entering the study. The blond boy smiled back, and they suddenly felt uncomfortable, unsure what to do and looking away from one another. Harry smiled, trying not to giggle, and Draco cleared his throat, getting their attention. "I'm sorry! Good morning, Mr. Malfoy." Albus said quickly, and they shook hands.

"Did you have breakfast yet?" Harry asked, and the blond man nodded. "Good. There are a few things I want to talk to you about, Malfoy." He said before turning to the boys. "Why don't you two practice your spells a little and take these bags to the door?" They smiled, taking out their wands, as the two adults sat by the fireplace.

About half an hour later, they heard the honks announcing the taxi cabs had arrived, and the children all ran to the door, rushing outside. Ginny greeted the drivers and quickly divided them: she'd be riding in one car with Lily, James and Jordan, and the other two boys would go with Draco and Harry, who helped the drivers to carry the bags into the trunks - under countless complaints from the blond man, who was effectively just supervising the work.

It was a quiet ride to the airport, and things seemed to be running smoothly, to Harry's relief. But as they were dropped off at the terminal, the problems began. The four of them quickly realized they were at the wrong place, and Ginny and the others were nowhere to be seen. Draco seemed on the edge of throwing a tantrum - the first time of many to follow that day - and Harry took a couple of breaths to calm down - the blond was already driving him crazy - when he saw an officer a little to their left. After telling the boys to stay close to Draco - and make sure he didn't pull out his wand or use any suspicious words out loud -, he approached the man with his boarding pass on hand.

"Excuse me, sir, but I think I'm a little lost. Could you tell me which way to go to get on this flight?" He asked with an apologetic smile, handing over the piece of paper.

The man, who was probably in his early fifties, laughed easily as his eyes ran through the paper he'd been handed. "I'm sorry, son, but you're on the exact opposite side of the airport for that flight. Did you not tell your driver where to drop you off?"

"I did, but I think we had a bit of a misunderstanding." He explained quickly. "Could you tell me how to get to the right place, then?"

"Sure, sure. You just go in through those doors, keep walking until you find escalators and go up one floor. Then to your left, and you should find the shuttle to take you to the right place." He smiled kindly, returning Harry's boarding pass.

"Oh, thank you very much. Just... Just one more thing. Where can we find those carts I saw some people using?"

The man laughed a little again. "I'm afraid you'll just have to carry your bags by hand, son. We ran out of carts on this side. Maybe you'll find some along the way?"

"Hopefully. Thanks again." He smiled, taking a step back.

"No problem. And have a good trip!" He called, smiling at Harry.

"Yeah, we will!" He said as he walked back to where the other three stood.

"So?" Draco asked impatiently, one of his hands firmly holding his wand on the inside pocket of his jacket.

"We'll have to do a bit of walking, I'm afraid." He smiled, picking up two suitcases with one hand, and reaching for a third with his free hand. "Can you boys each carry one of your bags?" They nodded. "Good. Let's go then, no time to lose."

"What, we'll have to _walk_ there_ and_ carry the bags? Why can't we just Levios-"

"Malfoy!" He said in a tone of warning. "You know bloody well why not. Now stop complaining and pick up your things. I don't want to be late." Harry started walking into the airport, Albus and Scorpius following close behind.

"Why can't we at least get one of those carts?" Draco called after them, still standing in the same place.

Harry stopped walking and turned around. "There are no more of them. Now let's go."

"Can't we just conjure-"

"No, Malfoy, we can't. Now _let's go._"

"Fine, fine, no need to be so stressed out..." He mumbled, clumsily picking up three bags with two hands. "Malfoys weren't made for any kind of physical labor, you know." He complained as he caught up with the others. "There should be someone to carry this for me. Can't we just pay one of those muggles to-"

"For Merlin's sake, Malfoy, watch your mouth!" Harry whispered alarmed, looking around to make sure nobody had heard them. "It's the third time in less than five minutes!"

"Well, I'm not the one who's had the brilliant idea of travelling among... _these people_, am I?" He raised an eyebrow, making the brunet man roll his eyes. Both boys were trying to repress their laughs, deeply entertained by the little argument between their fathers. "Can I at least... Make my bags lighter?" He asked trying helplessly to find a better way of holding everything. "I promise I'll do it nonverbally, nobody will notice."

"Malfoy, why don't you just stop complaining and concentrate your efforts-" He stopped his lecture when he heard a loud noise behind him, and turned around to find the blond had dropped everything on the floor. Luckily the bags were all properly closed, and nothing fell off them. "Fine. Okay, I see your point. Let's just... There, that corner." He half-pointed to a spot to their right. "So we have a little more privacy."

"Finally, you seem to have grown some sense in that thick head of yours." Draco whispered, picking up his things again. "And I'm making the boys' bags lighter as well." He said as left the bags on the assigned corner, Harry, Albus and Scorpius forming a sort of wall around Draco. "There. It wasn't so hard, was it? I could probably shrink them as well and-"

"That's enough magic, okay?" Harry cut him off. "I'll probably already get in trouble for that, and-"

"Why you? I'm the one who did it, weren't I?"

"Well, I said I'd be responsible for you, so-"

"Why would I need anyone to be responsible for me? I'm a grown up, Potter and-"

"Because we're in the middle of a bunch of... _These people_, and you are completely clueless when it comes to dealing with them. Hopefully Gin will have some better sense than you, since I can't be there to supervise her as well." He explained, picking up his bags again, and almost falling backwards due to the difference in weight. "And what are we going to tell the airline people? How do we explain these huge bags being so light?"

"If you'll cover for me, I'll undo the spell when... Well, whenever you're worried about it. _And_ I bet the little Weasley would love to know she needs supervision like a child, don't you think?" He teased, gaining an angry look before they started walking again.

Draco had made the bags so light they practically floated, and they just had to stir them around. A million concerns went through Harry's head, specially about the statue of secrecy that they'd deliberately broken. Well, at least he'd made sure no muggles saw them, and it was just a minor spell, right? To keep Draco from driving him mad with his complaints even before the trip began. Not that it worked quite as well as he hoped.

"Why again do we have to walk so much? Don't mu- _these people_ have those things that take us places? Like the one we used to come here?" He asked as they finally reached the escalator - which Harry wasn't too sure what was, but figured it meant those moving stairs they'd found.

"They're called cars, Malfoy, and they're meant for outdoor use. I suppose there are some vehicles that work inside, for people with disabilities, but we're definitely not part of those."

"Why not? I could just cast a-"

"No, you couldn't. And stop saying such things, won't you? I mean, even the boys know better..." He whispered the last part, but it was still loud enough for the blond to hear and frown at him.

"Well, I still think it's pretty stupid of them to invent such things if they can't use them when they need it."

"We don't _need _it. We can walk just fine. Actually it's pretty nice to stretch our legs, don't you think?" He turned to the boys, who shrugged at him.

"See? They don't like having to walk either."

"Well, we don't have a choice, so why don't you just stop complaining and keep walking?"

"Just because _you_ are into all this mu- this stuff, doesn't mean we all are, Potter. And since you've dragged me here, the least you can do is take my complaints into consideration."

"Into consideration... Yeah, sure. Noted. Now can we _please_ move on?"

"Okay. Next. I think these flying machines-"

"Airplanes."

"Airplanes. Are very unsafe. How can it fly without... you know? And why would you think it would be fun? My feet are already killing me. At least tell me we'll be sitting down sometime soon."

"We will, Malfoy. I heard there's a pretty decent lounge for us to stay in while we wait to board. And they're perfectly safe, people have been using them for ages now. And I said move on _from_ the complaints, not to the next one."

"Easy for you to say, Potter. You grew up with those things, but I haven't and I don't trust- Merlin, what is this thing now?"

They'd reached the waiting area for the electric shuttle that would take them to the right area of the airport, where a few other people already were. There were glass doors on both sides of the hall, with luminous panels above them informing where the cars were and how long they'd take to reach them. The boys were more interested in spotting some of the planes taking off on one side, while Draco looked very closely at the panels, just to be surprised when the doors automatically opened to allow them in, gaining quite a few looks from the people around and causing Harry to smile apologetically and embarrassedly at them.

"Come on, boys, it's this way." Harry waved to them, and they quickly boarded, Draco finding an empty seat and letting out a sigh of relief.

"No, seriously, why do we have to walk so much?" He asked, making Harry roll his eyes.

"Hey, man, seriously though, that guy is so weird!" They heard a young man, aged somewhere between his late teens and early twenties, whisper to his friend, not very discreetly pointing at Draco and trying to hide his laughter. "Did you see the way he was looking at everything?"

"Yeah, and did you see his face when the doors opened?" His friend asked, doing an even poorer job of hiding his amusement. "Like he'd never seen anything like it! Where the heck do you think he's from?"

"Cavemen, or something." The first man replied and they laughed loudly, gaining a slight frown from an older man sitting across from them.

Harry smiled; he was also rather entertained by Draco's reactions, but a quick glance the blond's way was enough to reveal the other man wasn't taking it so nicely, one hand already around his wand in his pocket. "Hey, hey, calm down, alright? They're just kids." Harry whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder that was quickly pushed away.

"One hex, Potter, just one and they'll see-"

"Yes, yes, Malfoy. Now come on. We're jumping on the next stop."

"Already?" He frowned, slightly confused. "I thought you said it was on the other side of the airport."

"I did. And we're here already. These things move fast." He smiled, grabbing his bags and standing by the door, both boys behind him.

"Okay, fine. They got lucky this time." He mumbled as they walked out, meeting Ginny a few minutes later.

"Where have you all been? We've been waiting here forever! And you know what James is like when he gets bored; he's a lot worse when he's with friends, and you know it very well, Harry. And Lily, she's been complaining too, she's very bored and tired of standing around. Do you know how long we've been waiting here? What took you so long? And-"

"We had some problems with the driver, he dropped us off in the wrong place and we had to walk here." He explained briefly, annoyed he was getting complaints from two sides now. "But we're here now, okay, so let's just go on with it."

"Don't think I believe you, with that stupid excuse of yours. But I'm tired as well, so let's please just check in."

"Okay. I'll go first and deal with the attendant and-" Draco cleared his throat loudly a couple of steps behind Harry, and the other two turned to him. "What?"

"Uh, I think it's about now we have to solve our... Little problem."

"Wha- Oh. Right, I'd forgotten. Hm... Hey, Ginny, could you watch the kids for a moment? We need... Some privacy?"

"What for? What are you up to? And why are you talking in code like that?" She inquired, her dissatisfaction clear in her tone of voice.

"It's... Just a little problem, it'll only take a second. We'll just take some bags, and we'll be right back." He looked away as she frowned at him, looking for some private corner. "Over there, Malfoy. Will have to do." He pointed to a spot a few steps away, and the blond nodded, each of them grabbing two bags. Harry figured Draco wouldn't be able to carry all four of his in one go once they had their full eight back, and preferred to work in two goes.

"What are they on about, Albus?" Ginny asked, holding the boy by the shoulder.

"They're... Returning the bags to their original weight." He replied in a low voice, trying to repress a smile. He knew his mom wouldn't be pleased.

"They did what? They used- they really- I swear, I thought they had more sense than that, I thought..." And she kept on mumbling, holding Lily by the hand, as the boy managed to walk a few steps away to where Scorpius was guarding their belongings.

"Is she alright?" The blond boy asked, raising a curious eyebrow and looking at Ginny.

"She'll be fine. They're all a bit tense, I suppose." He smiled, and they watched as the two men returned to change the bags.

After leaving their belongings with the airline company, it was time to go through the security check, and Harry had forgotten completely about it. Of course, he knew it would happen, and he'd even been told how it'd proceed, but not having mentioned it to anybody - especially Malfoy - caused quite some trouble.

They were all required to take off their shoes and put their bags through a scanner - and Draco couldn't stop complaining about how outraging that was, and how invasive and how - and Harry tried desperately to tell him it was just a standard procedure and every other passenger was submitted to it as well. It also put many security officers on alert, who began questioning why the blond was so reluctant to comply. As a result, they had to search him once he walked through the metal detector - and given the choice between having it done by one of the staff members and a machine, Harry begged him to pick the latter. He'd most certainly throw a tantrum if he was touched.

The digital scan came up clean - of course - except for one funny-shaped object he carried in his suit pocket - his wand. And once again Harry had to interfere and come up with an excuse not to have that taken away or, even worse, have Draco detained for investigation. After several minutes talking to the officer - and a little confounding spell - later, they were finally cleared and allowed to go through.

Once they'd finally finished the check in and security check procedures, they headed to the waiting lounge. As they were flying first-class - Harry would've loved to see Draco in economic class, but figured he'd probably be pushing it too far -, they found themselves in an elegantly designed hall, with areas dedicated to fine dining, lounging, and even a spa-like section - not that any of them really knew what it meant. Draco quickly found himself a large and comfortable leather chair, while the kids ran to the large windows to watch the planes landing and taking off.

"Look at that!" James exclaimed with a wide smile. "Look at that, dad!" He turned around briefly, seeing Harry approach him, also smiling. "They're flying! They're actually flying without- Ouch! Albus!" The younger boy was standing beside him and had hit him with an elbow. "What was that for?"

"Just shut up, James."

"Okay, be nice, Al." Harry asked with a smile. "But do you remember what we talked about, Jamie? About mentioning _that_ subject around... _people_?"

The boy frowned a little, trying to understand what was being said, and his face lit up after a moment. "Ah! _That_! Right. Sorry."

"Just be careful, Jamie." Harry replied, messing his hair and gaining a frown before walking away.

The boys stayed there for several minutes, discussing their theories on how something so large could stay in the air without any magic applied to it, while Lily had sat with Ginny in a couch and distractedly flicked through a magazine in some foreign language she was not too familiar with. As Draco seemed to have dozed off, Harry opted to go get himself a drink at the bar, and spent a few minutes chatting with the sympathetic bartender who served him.

There weren't many other people in the lounge, so the children had quite a bit of freedom to walk around and talk. When Harry sat in an armchair across from where Draco was, he was greeted with a frown and a complaint about why he hadn't been offered anything to drink. The brunet tried arguing he was asleep, but the blond was having none of it, adding that episode to his growing line of complaints and persuading Harry to just get up and fetch him a drink before he either went insane or lost his patience completely.

Albus and Scorpius were sitting by one of the windows, far enough from the adults so neither of their conversations could be heard, and excitedly tried to guess how the sanctuary would be like and all the amazing things they'd do there. They could see James and Jordan a little farther ahead - and it always paid off to keep an eye on the older boy -, and were careful not to get too close to them. They most certainly looked like they were up to something, and none of them wanted to know what it was.

They'd arrived just over three hours before their flight was scheduled to take off, as Harry had been instructed, and with all the confusion about getting to the right place, and the checking-in process - which wasn't that long per se, but considering there were eight of them, it took quite a while, not to mention the commotion Draco caused -, they had under two hours of waiting to be done, and to distract the kids - who were growing evidently more bored by the minute - they ordered some appetizers and separated in groups to explore the lounge.

Things finally seemed to be getting back on track, with Draco very pleased with the service he was being offered - finally something to the standards of the Malfoys, he'd said, nodding approvingly when a waitress brought him a refill of his drink as soon as it was over, without his having to request it -, and consequently complaining a lot less, and even though Ginny was still upset about their use of magic, she also seemed to relax, and they even managed a few minutes of civilized conversation between the three of them at some point.

But short before they were due to board, an embarrassed employee appeared to offer his apologies, as their plane had suffered a long delay due to weather conditions, and would arrive at least two hours after the scheduled time. It was enough to get the blond man complaining about Harry's choice of means of transportation again, which was aggravated by Lily's complaints she was hungry and bored and sleepy and whatnot. As more people gathered in the lounge, the typical noises of people talking grew louder and could no longer be ignored, and forced them all to gather up and give the other travelers some privacy.

They decided to visit the restaurant a while later, as they were all getting very hungry, and for an hour or so, they all actually seemed to be enjoying the day. As expected, the food was really high quality, and the muggle desserts delighted them, who were too used to the typical wizard food, day in and day out. Once they were all properly fed, they decided to return to the lounge, where Lily and the adults were fighting to stay awake as they flickered through one magazine after another.

When they finally boarded, it was already mid-afternoon, which meant it would already be dark when they arrived at the airport in Romania. Charlie had promised to pick them up, and as they had no means of contacting him, Harry felt a little sorry for all the time he'd be wasting on the other airport. They were shown to their seats - the eight of them filled most of the space reserved to first-class -, and sat two by two, four on each side of the aircraft. Draco seemed to relax a little when he was offered a drink - and despite Harry's advices and warnings, he continued drinking, which made that his third? fourth? drink of the day -, and to everybody's general happiness, the plane took off not too long after that.

Lily was the first to fall asleep; all the nervous excitement draining her energy. Ginny didn't seem all too interested in flying inside a vehicle, and soon was napping as well. Albus and Scorpius managed to spend quite some time chatting and gazing out the window, but the scenery - the top of clouds - became rather dull once they reached cruising altitude, and about an hour into the trip, they were both off as well. The other two boys soon discovered that flying in a plane wasn't at all as exciting as they had foreseen, and engaged in their secret plans once more. As for Harry, he was observing Draco as carefully as he could, rather amused at the other man's struggle to get along with the electronic entertainment offered to the passengers.

"It wasn't so bad after all, was it?" He asked after a while, looking directly at him and smiling.

"Bad? No, Potter, it wasn't. It was terrible." He complained, finally getting angry with the earphones he couldn't work out and throwing them at his feet.

"Come on. It's been fun, despite all the problems we've had." He insisted.

"Fun? You call walking for miles, hours of waiting and sitting inside this tiny place for who knows how long fun? Seriously, Potter, remind me of never agreeing with any of your stupid ideas ever again, especially if they involve anything muggle-related."

"Don't say that word!" He warned in a whisper, looking around, but luckily nobody was paying him any attention.

"_And_ having you as my babysitter. It's pathetic, Potter."

"I'm not your babysitter. I just have to-"

"Supervise me?"

"Well, yes, but it's just to make sure nobody finds out about... our secret."

"Yeah, right. As if I couldn't control myself if I didn't want to." Harry raised an eyebrow at him, and Draco sustained the look for just another moment before looking away. "Fine, fine, I slip sometimes - okay, many times - but it's just because I'm a pure-blood wiz- well, I wasn't brought up to... deal with this sort of people."

"Which is exactly why I need to supervise you." He smiled, looking at the blond man for another minute before looking out the window. "Hey, Malfoy?" He called almost half an hour later, looking back to the man who had his eyes closed and moaned a sleepy reply. "It's not that I'm complaining, but why do you put up with me?"

"Why... I don't know, Potter. Because you really are annoying, so I must be that great." His voice dragged more than usual, as if talking required quite the effort.

"I suppose it's because of the boys, but still... You know, I've made a few comments before, and you didn't even seem to notice. I was purposefully teasing you, and you point blank ignored it. When way less would've had us fighting to death in school."

"People change, Potter. Don't you know that?"

"Yeah, well, but-"

"If it bothers you so much, I'll start hexing you once we land, how's that?"

Harry giggled, and Draco finally opened his eyes, raising an eyebrow at him. "No, it's fine. I was just curious, I suppose."

"Well... If you want to know, it was mostly because of Scorpius. I wanted to be a better father for him than my dad was for me. Don't get me wrong, of course I... uh, love him, or something, I mean, he's my dad, but, you know. And part of that was becoming more tolerant. Not to mention I know you rarely think about what you're saying before you say it, and even when you do, nobody can expect it to be too much." He smiled slightly, closing his eyes again. "Can I please go back to sleep? This place is too small, I'm feeling a little claustrophobic, and all that alcohol is trying to get back at me."

"Yeah, sure." He smiled, returning his eyes to the window.

Unfortunately, their rests were cut short as they entered a strong turbulence that had them all jumping up and down in their seats and Lily crying because she was scared. Somehow, the younger boys managed to sleep through it, but the older ones seemed to finally be enjoying themselves, pretending to be on brooms flying through a storm. Draco, on the other hand, has on the verge of having a panic attack, complaining about how unsafe that was, and how Harry was a dead man, and that he'd be personally responsible for the brunet's death, regardless of whether they made it out of that thing alive and so on.

After what seemed like hours, but had only been ten or fifteen minutes, the plane had lowered enough to leave the turbulence zone and was getting ready to land. They boys finally woke up, confused as to what all the commotion was all about, and surprised to see night had already fallen outside. About an hour later, they had finally exited the aircraft and retrieved they bags, just to spend the following fifteen minutes looking for Charlie, who was nowhere to be found.

Much to everybody's general unhappiness, they still had to take cabs to an official Floo center so they could get to the actual sanctuary. The room they arrived in was wide, with another three fireplaces, one to the left and the others on the opposing wall. It didn't have any furniture, as it was evidently just a transition space, and wasn't very big either, but they were all too hungry and tired to pay any attention to any details.

Their bags were taken to the rooms they'd be occupying, while an excited and smiley Charlie guided them down a hallway and to the dining area. The place wasn't properly a hotel, since they rarely ever had visitors, so it had a much more familiar environment. The dining room resembled the Great Hall at Hogwarts, but in smaller proportions: two long wooden tables were set in the middle of the room, and another smaller one held all the dishes being served - and Draco readily complained about that as well, how come he had to _serve himself_?

There weren't many people eating with them, and the redhead man only waved briefly at them before sitting down with the others, promising to introduce everybody in the morning. After a quiet meal - they were all too exhausted from the trip to talk - they were shown to their rooms, and after making sure the children were properly tucked in, the three grown-ups collapsed in the beds and fell deeply asleep in a matter of mere minutes.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

When Albus woke up the following morning, both his siblings were still sound asleep, and he could see through the chinks in the wooden window that the sun hadn't risen too long ago. Lazily stretching his limbs, he took a good look around the room; he was so tired the day before he didn't even notice his surroundings. He could see their bags piled at the feet of the beds, three single beds one on each corner of the room, and a door on the fourth. The only other furniture there was a small dresser between the beds occupied by Lily and James, which was presumably empty. The walls were bare and cream, and between his bed and his brother's stood the closed window, with an old appearance and letting quite some sunlight in.

As quietly as he could, he selected clean clothes from one of his bags, got dressed and took his toothbrush with him as he walked out of the room, hoping to find a bathroom. As he walked through the door, he found himself in a long corridor, and after pondering which way to go, he shrugged and turned left. He peeked through the open doors, finding out they were all bedrooms, some of them decorated - which probably belonged to the employees - and others empty except for the undressed beds. At the end of the hall, he found the large bathroom, and after his morning routine, he walked down the other side of the hall, curiously looking around.

Down the stairs, as he started remembering, was the dining hall and the fireplace room. As he entered the dining area, he noticed it was mostly empty, except for two men in a corner, who excitedly discussed some matter, between laughers and teases, and a small mixed group sitting in the middle of the other table, much quieter than the others. He didn't recognized anyone, and wondered if maybe he should go back to his room and wait for his parents, but just then he felt his stomach roaring and decided he'd get something to eat first.

"Hi there." One of the women smiled at him as he sat on the end of the opposite table, a plate full of delicious-looking food sitting in front of him. He smiled at her, slightly embarrassed. "What's your name?"

"I-I'm Albus."

"Well, nice to meet you, Albus. I'm Brook." She had dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a very gentle smile.

"Nice to meet you."

"Are you Charlie's nephew? I remember him mentioning he'd have some guests come by this month." Albus nodded, blushing and making Brook and the other girls smile even more. "Come on, sit over here with us, won't you? I promise we don't bite." She joked.

"I-I don't want to disturb you or anything. I don't mind-"

"Nonsense, Albus. Now sit here, come on." She slid to the side, making room for him between her and a tall man. He shyly took the seat, and fixed his eyes on his plate. "Well, let me introduce you, then. That one beside you is Jacques."

"What's up, little buddy?" He asked with a strong French accent, smiling and playing with his hair.

"And that's Casey." The woman sitting in his diagonal waved at him. "Matteo, Gayle." The two other people across the table nodded briefly. "And this is Hikari." Brook pointed to the woman next to her.

"It's nice to meet you all." He smiled, and then put some of the scrambled eggs in his mouth to avoid having to say anything else.

"Isn't he adorable?" Casey asked, smiling, and the other women agreed. "But you don't really resemble much Charlie, you know." She said with a slight frown, tipping her head sideways and looking intently at him.

"I take after my dad." He replied in a low voice. "Uncle Charlie is my mom's brother."

"Now it makes sense." She smiled at him.

"And how old are you, buddy?" Jacques asked, looking as amusedly at him as the others. Didn't they ever have guests come over or were they always like that?

"Twelve."

"You go to Hogwarts then, I suppose?" Gayle asked, and he nodded. "Which house? From what Charlie tells me, all Weasleys end up in Gryffindor. I myself was a Ravenclaw."

"Uh, actually I'm a Slytherin." He said in an even lower tone. It wasn't so much that he was embarrassed of his house, it was the very opposite, but his dad had told him in more than one occasion - and James and his uncle Ron had vehemently reinforced that - the fame the house carried, and he wasn't sure how those people would react.

"Cool. My best friend was a Slytherin as well. I always thought it was pretty neat to live under the lake." He smiled broadly before standing up. "I'm grabbing more coffee, anyone needs a refill?" He offered, and two of them handed him their cups.

"I was a Gryffindor." Casey said. "By the time I was graduating, I think some of your older cousins were just entering the school." She smiled.

"Have all of you attended Hogwarts?" He asked curiously.

"No, just Gayle, Casey and I. I was also a Ravelclaw, and Gayle was one year above me." Brook replied

"Matteo went to Durmstrang, and I attended Beauxbatons. Hikari went to a school in Japan." Jacques explained.

"It was very interesting for me to find out how things work here in Europe. They're very different from the way they are back home." Hikari commented.

"And are you enjoying it? Those were definitely some of my best years so far." Gayle asked sitting back down.

"Yeah, it's, it's fine, I guess."

"You should really make the best of it, you know. Time goes by so fast that-"

"Hey, enough talk, you!" One of the men sitting at the other table called out with a smile. "Come on, we've got to go or we'll be late."

"Alright, alright, we'll be right there." Brook replied, sticking her tongue out and smiling. "Well, it was really nice to meet you, Albus. I hope we'll see you around then." She said as she got up, fussing his already naturally messy hair. The others also got up and waved at him, and moments later he found himself all alone in the room.

He was almost done eating when his dad and Lily appeared, and sat beside him. Not too long after that, all the others also appeared, as well as some other employees, with whom Harry and Ginny quickly engaged in conversation, and once they were all properly fed, it was time to go search for Charlie. One of the people the oldest Potter was talking to, a man called Roger, offered to take them to the older Weasley, and give them a bit of a tour on the way.

"Right. Everybody ready, then?" Harry asked standing up, and received a mix of nods and murmurs or agreement. "Right, then. So if it's not too much trouble, then..." He turned to Roger with a smile. The man as about the same height as him, with auburn hair and dark brown eyes, and as most of the other people they'd seen so far, was very much in shape. It must be a part of the profession, Harry thought, shaking his head slightly, after he caught his eyes wandering the man's figure.

"Okay. This way, then." Roger smiled.

They walked out a side door and were greeted by a gorgeous view of the sanctuary grounds. Immediately in front of them, they could see some soft hills, and higher mountains a little farther away, which, as they would learn, were also part of the property. They were guided down a faint trail to the left of the building, letting their eyes wander and their lips curl up in smiles at the different sounds and occasional sighting of a dragon in the distance.

"This place has existed for just over a hundred years, now." Roger explained as they walked. "It started off with private owner, who absolutely loved dragons and couldn't bear to see them disappearing. Then the government embraced the idea, along with some other private funders, and the place grew. Currently we have around forty different species here, and something like 250 animals."

"All that?" Harry raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"That's great, isn't it?" Roger smiled at him. "Mostly we receive them after they've been mistreated; we even had a few who were so severely abused they didn't survive. But we're also learning how to get them to reproduce, which is very important specially for the most endangered species."

"So there are baby dragons here right now?" James asked excitedly, jumping between them.

"A few, yes. And I'm sure Charlie will take you to them; maybe you could even... with little Klaus..." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I just remembered something maybe he'll be interested in." He apologized, seeing their confused looks.

"Why again do we have to walk there?" Draco asked from the back of the pack. "Can't we just... I don't know, fly there or something?"

Roger shook his head. "Dragons tend to think you're threatening them when you approach them through the air. And trust me, the last thing you want is one of those on your tail." He giggled and Harry smiled, but the blond man didn't seem to appreciate the comment. "But we're almost there Mr., uh, what was it again?"

"Malfoy."

"We're almost there Mr. Malfoy, I promise."

"So you keep saying..." He mumbled.

As the man continued explaining to Harry about the place's history, they walked further down a valley and soon spotted a fenced area, where they could see a large brown dragon sleeping on one corner and, as they came closer, Charlie's unmistakable fire red hair and another man, with dark brown hair, crouching beside him, both shirtless, doing something none of them could see. And by the number of times the man made physical contact with the redhead, Harry began figuring out just why the Weasley wasn't married. And couldn't suppress a smile as they finally reached the low wooden fence.

"We found out just last night. Unfortunately, her baby -" Roger tilted his head sideways, towards the dragon. "Was stillborn. Charlie and Gayle are cleaning up the nest, otherwise it's much too likely Kalliope will end up depressed." He explained. "Hey, Charlie! Your guests are here!" He yelled, making the other two men turn around and wave at them.

"It'll just be another minute!" The brunet replied before they turned back.

"Are you sure just this little fence is enough to hold back a full grown dragon?" Ginny asked, holding James by the sleeve just as the boy tried to sneak closer to the animal. "I mean, he's - she's - asleep now, but if she wakes up..."

"Oh, don't worry, the fence is merely so we know where the spells end. And because someone thought they would look pretty." He chuckled. "There are plenty of spells around this area, so as long as you don't go inside, you'll be protected." He reassured.

"See, mom? Now you can let us get a little closer, right? Just to have a better look-"

"No way, young man. I know you far too well to think you'd stay on this side of the fence. And I'm not letting you risk your life for nothing." She replied, still holding him, who tried to get away.

"Okay, fine, you can let me go now." He complained in a low voice. "I'm not a baby anymore, mom." He hissed, feeling embarrassed as he saw the look of sheer amusement on the older Malfoy's face.

"Can I trust you?" She asked and he nodded. "Very well then. But trust me, James, just one foot out of the line, you'll spend the rest of the holiday locked in your room."

"I know mom. Don't worry."

"And that goes for you too, Jordan." She raised a warning eyebrow at the other boy.

"Yes, Mrs. Potter." He did his best to look innocent, and she watched as they walked away for a little bit, knowing that, at least for now, they wouldn't get in trouble.

"Hey, guys! How was your night?" Charlie waved and smiled at them as they came closer, drying the sweat in his forehead with the shirt hanging on his shoulder.

"It was great, thanks, Charlie." Harry smiled back. "Your friend Roger was just telling us what you were up to."

"Oh, it's a real shame what happened, but I guess it's a part of it." He replied jumping over the fence. As Harry looked around to locate everybody, he noticed the unknown brunet wasn't the only one whose eyes seemed delighted by the redhead's naked torso. Certain silver eyes were also running up and down the redhead's chest, and seemed delighted by what they found. "Anyway. This is Gayle. And Gayle, this is my brother-in-law Harry, my little sister Gin, my nephews James and Albus, my niece Lily, the Malfoys, Draco and Scorpius, and that's James's friend, uh, Jordan, right?." The boy smiled, confirming. As introduced them, they all waved and nodded politely at each other.

"Sorry about earlier, buddy. You know how work can be." He smiled at Albus once he was done shaking hands with the adults.

"Oh, you two met, then?"

"Yeah, we had breakfast together. But anyway, I'll leave you to them. You'll be giving the grand tour, I suppose?" Charlie nodded. "Good. I'll see you later then." He waved at them as he and Roger walked away.

"Good. Now, where do you want to start?" The redhead asked, looking around with a smile.

They spent the day meeting some of the animals and talking a lot. To everybody's surprise, Charlie and Draco seemed to be getting along very well, and the boys managed to behave all day long. There wasn't much to do there, so they began volunteering to help with the normal chores of the sanctuary, and the kids couldn't be happier to help feed the dragons - by conjuring different wild animals and having the dragons hunt for them -, care for the babies and learn new spells. Every night, after they had dinner, they'd spend a couple of hours talking to the other employees, and sharing stories. Unlikely as it might be, they all ended up becoming good friends and making plans for new holidays all over the world.

Harry couldn't help noticing the absence of both a blond and a redhead, who mysteriously disappeared every night under lame excuses, and the thought of what they might be up to always made him smile. Even if they both swore they weren't together.

For Albus's birthday, they threw an improvised party, with everybody making him typical dishes from their countries and giving him little gifts. Harry and Ginny had bought him an assortment of different things, books, clothes, candies and some jokes from the twins' shop, which he was thrilled to receive and couldn't wait to begin playing with. Draco and Scorpius gave him a new and elegant set of wizards' chess, which the boys tried out that same day. But the most remarkable gift came from Charlie, who let him adopt one of the orphan baby dragons they'd received a couple of weeks earlier.

The redhead had taken them to their nursery, where they got to hold and play with some of the babies, and as he put a little pearly dragon in Albus's hands, he told him it was his birthday gift. Of course, he couldn't take it home, but the boy got to name it, and everybody would know it was his dragon.

"It is an Antipodean Opaleye. They come from New Zealand, but somebody smuggled an egg to Europe and tried to sell it, but it hatched and was abandoned." Charlie explained as the brunet observed the little animal carefully. It was sleeping when he picked him up, but seemed to have heard he was the topic of their conversation and opened his violet eyes and was staring right into the emerald-green ones. "So, what do you think?"

"It's... beautiful." The boy whispered, his eyes still in the creature in his hands. After a few moments, the dragon seemed content to be where he was and curled up to go back to sleep.

"It's a male. Do you have a name for him yet?"

"I don't know." He replied, carefully putting the dragon back in his aquarium, much to James's unhappiness. The older boy had been trying to grab the animal from his brother to take a closer look, but couldn't reach it, and after Charlie waved his wand over the glass case, he knew he wouldn't be able to. "Any suggestions?" He turned to Scorpius, who was beside him, as mesmerized as he was.

The blond boy shrugged. "I don't know. I'd say maybe one of your grandparents or something, but you and James and Lily already have their names, so..."

"There's grandpa Arthur, but I don't know if I like Arthur for a dragon. And I don't know if he'd like that either." They smiled at each other.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind, if that's what you'd like." Ginny smiled at him, but he shook his head.

"Can I choose something different?"

"Of course, Al, it's your dragon after all." It was Charlie's turn to smile.

"Can I call him... Salazar?" He never saw the triumphant look Draco sent Harry, who just shook his head, smiling.

"You're a Slytherin, right?" The redhead asked, and he nodded. "Well, it seems suiting for me. Salazar it is!" He giggled, especially after seeing the displeased look in his sister's face. "Good. Now that's settled, we still got a lot to do. Who wants to help me with a large Welsh Green?"

The older boys quickly put their hands up, as did Lily, and the next moment they were out the door. Albus and Scorpius went back to the brunet's room, to better explore his gifts, and ended up in there until it was dinnertime.

A week passed faster than they thought it would, and things had gone so well Harry and Ginny were already planning a return for the next summer. But they should've known better, having James and Jordan together without plenty to do and plenty of surveillance. It was their last day in the sanctuary, and they were taking a walk around the grounds, looking for a spot for a picnic, when the two older boys dashed off in a race to a fence several meters away. Ginny yelled caution advices, while Harry and Charlie just laughed at them, all of them observing their moves.

But that was already part of the plan, for when they got to the fence, all adults would be too far to stop them, and before anyone could react, they had jumped inside the dragon's territory and were headed for a small dragon sleeping on one side. Ginny was yelling all sorts of scurrilities at them as she raced forward, closely followed by the others. They couldn't do anything as they watched James and Jordan duel the animal, who wasn't more than eight feet long, one of them distracting it while the other tried to mount its back. Harry and Charlie grabbed the redhead woman each by an arm as she attempted to jump in with them, while Draco kept the other children a few feet away.

"It's okay, Ginny. Let them have a little fun." Charlie smiled at her, receiving a very angry look in return. "Look, they have their wands, and that's a very young dragon. And we're here to help them if things get serious, okay?"

"No way I'm risking it, Charlie! That's- that's your nephew over there, he could die, he could-"

"Exactly! He's my nephew. He must have inherited something from me." He smiled with false arrogance, making Harry giggle.

"And you, Harry! Do something! It's your son there! _And_ you're responsible for Jordan as well!" She screamed as she tried to get away.

"Come on, Gin. Just let them try a little longer. Look, they're doing just fine!" He motion towards the boys with his head. They were separated by a few feet, forcing the animal to divide his attention. Even though he tried scaring them with fire, the boys skillfully cast shields for protection, which were enough once the dragon was still so young. Then, in a moment of distraction, James managed to climb on his back and the creature took off, flying not too far from the ground, held back by heavy chains.

Charlie laughed soundly, letting go of his sister. "That's the first time I've ever seen anyone fly a dragon! That's fantastic! He really does have your talent for flying, both of yours."

"I didn't even know one could ride a dragon." Draco commented, making Harry turn around smiling.

"Well, I have before, so I knew it was possible."

"You what?" Ginny asked angrily. "So that's why you're encouraging it, isn't it? Do you have any idea of how dangerous it is? What if he falls, of if that dragon hits them or-"

"Okay, okay, I got the message, Gin." Charlie said behind her, turning their attention to him. He waved his wand casting some spell none of them knew that made the dragon land softly and go back to sleep. "Okay boys, now out, the two of you." He called.

That little stunt earned James a month of grounding - and Jordan only got away with it because it wasn't up to Ginny to decide his punishment -, but also quite the tale to brag about when classes returned. It also caused another big argument between Harry and Ginny, that if not for a very powerful silencing charm that had been cast, would've awoken everybody in the building. The tension was very palpable the next morning as they had breakfast, and they made their way in silence to the fireplace to return home, all plans of future visits thrown away for good.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note: **I know it's been quite a while since I posted the last chapter, and I'm really sorry I haven't updated in so long. I've had a pretty hectic couple of weeks, but hopefully now everything's back to normal now. But to make up for that, I intend to upload at least another two or three new chapters in the next few days, so keep an eye out!

**Chapter Thirteen**

The few weeks left of summer vacation were pretty quiet at the Potter household. Jordan was supposed to stay another week with them, but after the boys' stunt with the dragon, Ginny sent him home, and as amused as Harry was by their skills, he was forced to agree. The other part of his punishment was that he was confined to the house, which meant he was even grumpier than usual. Both Albus and Lily prudently chose to spend large chunks of their time between the Burrow and Ron and Hermione's house, enjoying their last leisure days.

Because of Harry's busy schedule, it was decided Ginny and Hermione would take the kids to Diagon Alley on their own, and since the redhead was afraid her oldest son would make more trouble being left alone in the house than coming along, the two of them had five kids to watch in what seemed to be the busiest day the alley had ever seen. Only a week away from boarding, there were plenty of parents rushing around and children demanding the newest products exposed on the windows, making it impossible to walk around without constantly bumping into each other. And as all the other shoppers realized, after the third or fourth time it happened, they too stopped apologizing. Nobody was paying any attention anyway.

They managed to go through Gringotts in a fairly organized manner, and Madam Malkin's was a very quick stop, as the standard robes fit all three of them almost perfectly. But by the time they reached Flourish and Blotts, Lily and Hugo were growing more and more impatient, and James was more than obviously bored and looking for a way out. Albus and Rose discussed their homework, talking properly maybe for the first time since they'd gone to school, a whole year earlier. As long as they avoided the topics of the boy being a Slytherin and his best friend being Scorpius, things were almost like they used to be.

"I'll go look for my books, mom." James said over the noise as they entered the shop, his list held tightly in one hand, before disappearing into the crowd.

Ginny sighed. "Do you mind helping them with their books? I'll stay with Lily and Hugo by the door to make sure he doesn't disappear."

"Don't worry, Gin. We'll be back in no time, and if he still isn't back by then, we'll help find him." She smiled reassuringly at the redhead, stirring the two twelve-year-olds by the shoulder deeper into the shop.

It took them over half an hour to collect all they books they'd need and make their way to the cashier, simply because there was no way moving more than just a step or two at a time. Somehow the oldest Potter boy finished his things faster than them, and Ginny let him take a look at the Quidditch shop across the street, since the younger kids were too impatient to stay and wait. The next - and last - stop was for potions supplies, and the place was as crowded as everywhere else, making both women release long sighs as they took a place in the line that made its way well into the street.

After good fifteen minutes waiting, and barely moving, the Malfoy family ran into them, accompanied by none other than the Potion's Master of Hogwarts. The two men were discussing some apparently very interesting matter, and wouldn't have noticed them if Scorpius hadn't sneaked behind Albus and made him jump in surprise.

"Last minute shopping?" The blond boy asked, smiling.

"Yeah, you too?"

Scorpius nodded. "Still much to go?"

"No, just here... but this line is taking forever." He stuck his tongue out, making the other boy giggle.

"Scorpius? What are you-" Draco had walked past them, and noticed his son wasn't with them anymore after a few steps, turning around to look for him. "Oh. Albus, how are you?" He asked with a smile.

"I'm very well, Mr. Malfoy, thank you." The brunet boy smiled back.

"Good, good. Weasley, Granger." He nodded at the two women who had protectively moved closer to Albus when they noticed the blond man approach.

"Malfoy." Hermione nodded back, and Ginny limited herself to stare at him. "Come on, Albus, we have to-"

"The line hasn't moved an inch, Granger." He observed amusedly, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not going to do anything to the boy, you know."

"I wouldn't expect any different from you, Malfoy." She smiled at him before acknowledging the man standing a couple of feet behind him. "Professor Snape."

"Mrs. Weasley now, I believe?"

"Yes, professor." She smiled at him, and could feel Ginny and the other kids - except for Albus and Scorpius - cower away slightly.

"And Mrs. Potter." He said, the name sounding exactly as spitted as it always had.

"Professor."

"Dad, can Albus come have ice cream with us, please?" The blond boy smiled at his father, who took a long look at the others before replying.

"I'm sure they are very busy, Scorpius. Perhaps another time, son." He could see the two women breath out relieved at his words.

"But dad! He said they just need the Potions' supplies and they'll be done! Can't Professor Snape help them like he helped us, and then we go have the ice cream?"

"Scorpius, I already told you, some other day. Now let's go."

Hermione looked at the boys for a moment, the blond frowning as he dragged his feet away and the brunet watching them disappointedly. "Malfoy!" She called, making him turn around.

"What is it, Granger?"

"If... you're not too busy, maybe Albus could come with you, and we'll pick him up once we're done here." She suggested carefully, knowing Ginny wouldn't appreciate it, but her nephew was such a nice boy he deserved that little treat. And she was sure she could talk the redhead into accepting it while they waited in line.

"See dad? She said Al can come and-" He stopped talking after a severe look from his father. Severus seemed to be enjoying the interaction, standing a couple of steps away.

"I appreciate your offer, but I'm pretty sure Weasley would rather we didn't."

"I'm sure Gin won't mind it, will you?" She turned to the redhead, trying to communicate with her with her eyes. "We were thinking about it anyway. And I'm sure Albus would like it, don't you think, Gin?"

"Please, mom! Can I come?"

The redhead looked from one to the other before letting out a small sigh. "Fine. But behave yourself, Albus. And you better be there with him when we come, Malfoy, or-"

"Don't worry, Weasley. I don't like you, but I'm not irresponsible." He turned to the smiling boys and shook his head slightly. "Come on, already, the two of you."

Albus and Scorpius chatted excitedly as they followed the two adults who were once again emerged in their own conversation. The brunet was fascinated to observe how different it was walking with them than it was with his family: they seemed oblivious to the crowd, which seemed to automatically move away from them as they walked. Even among the disputed tables by Fortescue's parlor, there seemed to be one just waiting for them. But on a second thought, it seemed very suiting for the two adults watching them: he couldn't see either capable of tolerating being surrounded by great masses of strangers.

"I didn't know your dad was friends with Professor Snape." Albus said once they both were sitting down with their treats.

The blond boy shrugged. "He's visited us a bunch of times before I went to Hogwarts. He taught my dad, and he said they fought together in the war or something."

"Cool." They smiled at each other, and ate in silence for a few minutes longer. "Do you know why Professor Snape needs a cane, then?" He whispered, leaning forward.

Scorpius shook his head. "They never told me."

"And that's none of your business either." They heard the professor's voice behind them a fraction of a second before Albus felt a rolled up copy of the Daily Prophet hit him on the back of the head. He meant to protest, but one look from Severus was enough to make him change his mind. Beside him, Draco was looking very amused by the situation.

It took them several minutes to dare speak again. "So, are you ready to try out for the team?"

"Definitely." Scorpius smiled. "Dad has helped me practice a couple of times last week. I'm sure I'll get in."

"So am I."

"You're really not even going to try to get in the team?"

"I told you, I don't like Quidditch."

"Still, it would be fun to see you playing against James. I'd love to see his face when he lost to you." They shared a smile before focusing back on their ice-creams.

A long time passed between them arriving at the parlor and Ginny and Hermione showing up again. The Potions Master had left quite the while before, evidently outraged by the impossible amount of people gathered there, leaving a very bored Draco behind. The blond man had already read the latest edition of the Daily Prophet twice, and pretended to be interested in whatever the boys were talking about, before he finally saw the others approach.

"What the hell took you so long? It was just a trip to the apothecary, anyway." He complained standing up.

"Well, in case you don't know, Malfoy, the rest of us mortals have to actually wait their turns to be helped, instead of barging in and demanding whatever we want. I don't even know why you came, since you probably have a million people willing to do that for you."

"Not that it's any of your business, Weasley, but I thought it would be a good way of spending some quality time with my son and meet an old friend. But I will not stand here and discuss with you, because I respect my son - and yours - more than that. So if you'll excuse us, we're leaving. Let's go, Scorpius." He said turning around and walking away, without waiting for the boy, who only had time to wave briefly at his friend.

Ginny snorted as she sat down beside her youngest son, mumbling something about the blond man, as Hermione took the others to buy their treats. "So, what did you do while we were away?" She asked after a few moments, relaxing and smiling at the boy.

"We just talked, really. And had ice-cream." He shrugged.

"That's nice, love."

The rest of the day - and the week - passed surprisingly quietly, and soon they were getting ready to return to school. The morning before boarding the Hogwarts Express was as chaotic as usual. It didn't matter how organized they were - an Albus _was_ always very organized - there were always things missing, forcing them to run around the house looking for them. Sure they could be sent by owl later, but it wasn't only inconvenient, but the boys also thought it embarrassing, so there was no other alternative. Lily just sat in the kitchen, calmly enjoying her breakfast and making fun of her brothers, who couldn't wait to do the same in one year's time.

Harry's car had its inside magically expanded so they were all very comfortable, diminishing the excuses the children could use to fight each other, and the result was a very quiet ride to King's Cross Station. They arrived at Platform 9 3/4 with just over half an hour to spare, but it was already packed full of students and parents chatting loudly and making last-minute recommendations. They met Ron and Hermione after a few minutes, and soon James had gone find his friends.

Though it hadn't been long since they last met, Albus was also anxious to meet Scorpius, but this year Ginny had an even longer lecture prepared for him, and the train was already set to depart when he finally boarded it. The first few steps in it were a little tricky, with the train beginning to move, but he soon got the hang of it, and had to walk almost to the last car to find the cabin where the blond sat alone, looking very bored and with a book opened on his lap.

"Hey." He said, opening the door and dragging his large bag inside.

"What took you so long?" Scorpius complained, leaving the book on his seat and helping the other boy to put away his bag.

"Mom did. She had a bucket load of advices. It didn't even seem like it's my second year." He explained apologetically, both of them sitting by the window.

"Well, last year she thought she had your brother to look after you." The blond joked, and they smiled at each other.

"Well, I don't need him, I have you." Albus said before he could process his own words, making them both blush and look away. "So, hm, what are you reading?" He asked after a few minutes, pointing to the book forgotten beside the blond.

"It's about Quidditch strategy. But I've read it a bunch of times already." He shrugged. "Want to take a look?"

The brunet shook his head smiling. "Insisting won't make me like it any better, you know."

"Well, you can't blame me for trying. You must be the only wizard in the country who doesn't like it."

"I'm pretty sure there are plenty of others."

"Not that I know of." He teased, but before Albus could reply, their cabin door was opened and they turned to see Lynus, Thales and a younger boy they didn't know.

"Do you mind if we join you?" Lynus asked and both boys shook their heads. "Oh, great. We couldn't find Slytherin cabins with enough seats for all of us, and the other houses aren't exactly friendly."

The three of them sat down and they quickly engaged in conversation, sharing their vacation stories. They learned the boy was Thales's younger brother Shane, who was as excited as they had been starting school, and was as amazed as the others to hear about their dwellings with Charlie's dragons. All of them chose a vast array of sweets when the trolley lady came around, and sooner than they'd expected it, it was time to get changed and they were arriving at the Hogsmeade station.

The weather had been very nice during the whole trip, but as soon as everybody began preparing to leave the train, a heavy rain began falling over them, creating great chaos as the students each went one way. Albus and Scorpius were some of those who didn't care about getting wet - they were, after all, wizards, and one spell away from being dry again - and took their time admiring the horseless carriages and speculating their work mechanisms.

It was very different entering the Great Hall that year. It didn't feel quite so grand without all eyes on them - everybody was too busy finding their seats and catching up on the news - but it wasn't quite as intimidating either. They sat together with the other students of their year, but without the nervous energy, it proved to be quite challenging to stay awake during the Headmistress's speech and the sorting ceremony.

Even though they were tired, the boys still found the energy to chat after dinner, sharing Albus's bed. Even though it was a little odd at first, having spent most of the summer apart, it quickly became very comfortable, and they even began wondering how come they didn't miss it more. The following day was a Sunday, and the boys slept well into the morning, protected from the light - and any curious, or even malicious, eyes - by the thick dark green curtains surrounding the bed.

The first thing Scorpius did that day - well, not the first, it was after they persuaded some elves in the kitchen (which they found out about with some help from a couple of seniors) to give them some for breakfast - was to insist that Albus come to the Quidditch field and practice with him for the tryouts, only stopping when the brunet reluctantly agreed. They spent the next hour or so chasing a practice Snitch the blond's dad had given him, and were panting and sweating by the time they got down. As neither had permission to use the changing rooms - and they were locked, anyway - they went back to the dorms and took long showers before heading to the Great Hall for lunch.

The first week of classes went smoothly, with most professors - with the obvious exception of Snape - choosing to make the transition from vacations to school as easy as they could, especially by avoiding assigning too much homework. But as the weekend grew closer, Scorpius's nerves became more and more evident, and Albus couldn't be more glad Saturday had finally arrived, because he didn't think he could stand the blond going on and on about the tryouts for much longer.

Albus had seriously thought about sleeping in that Saturday, but he was a better friend than that, and accompanied Scorpius to the Quidditch pitch, after being the only one to manage to put some food down. He'd packed a snack for the blond just in case, because chances were the boy would be hungry once his nervousness was gone. There weren't too many other students at the field when they arrived; perhaps four or five other than the actual team. Scorpius was the only second-year there, and it intimidated him a little.

"It's going to be fine, Scorp, you'll see." The brunet reassured with a smile, and the other nodded anxiously before they went separate ways.

Albus found a seat with a good view of the field and pulled out the book he had brought with him, raising his eyes occasionally, waiting for the tryouts to begin. After about ten minutes, apparently everybody had arrived and they made their way to the actual field. The applicants were put through a series of physical tests for the first run - several laps on foot around the field, a little obstacle course - before they proceeded to a basic skills flying test, and then finally to some exercises that were actually about Quidditch. The brunet had meant to keep reading once they had started, but found himself leaning forward in anticipation every time it was Scorpius's turn, and quietly rooting for him.

Looking around, there was nobody else other than the players and the applicants, and the blond felt very comforted every time he looked up and saw his friend there. He somehow felt he could actually succeed because of it, and couldn't help smiling when their eyes met. A couple of students were eliminated after every round, and he couldn't help being surprised he'd made it to the final round. And the task he'd been assigned, as he'd applied to the position of seeker, was to be the first to find and recover five mock snitches that were released, competing against another applicant, a fourth-year boy, and the lead team player, just to make things a little more interesting.

After almost an hour of racing around, all five snitches had been caught, two by the lead player, two by Scorpius and one by the fourth-year boy. Even though so far all the ones who didn't get a spot on the team had known it immediately, the final results would only be divulged the following day, posted on the bulletin board in their Common Room. Apparently they had a lot to ponder between the final contenders before making their final decisions.

Albus was waiting at the exit of the Slytherin changing room when Scorpius exited after a refreshing shower, and offered him the sandwich he'd prepared earlier. As he expected, the snack was almost immediately devoured, and the blond was in a much better mood now the tryouts were done. Even though the brunet wasn't too into the sport, they spent the remainder of the morning and the whole lunch discussing it.

After a particularly long game of chess that afternoon, both boys sat beside a window in their common room to do some homework, and hopefully distract themselves a little, but it didn't really help, and none of them was able to write more than one bad paragraph. It was however comforting to share the bed that night, and it seemed the only thing that calmed them down, even if they couldn't find anything to talk about and went straight to sleep.

It was only when they returned from breakfast that the list of the new players was posted, and they were ecstatic to see Scorpius's name in it, along with three other students they didn't know. Maybe those things really were hereditary after all, Albus thought. And perhaps for him it'd all gone to James instead. They celebrated in their dorm, and began making plans to fit the practices into their schedules, and the excitement lasted all day, making it hard for them to fall asleep that night.

It soon became a habit for Albus to go watch Scorpius practice; even when it was before class, he'd wake up no matter how silent the blond was, and figured he might as well come along. Especially during the end of the summer, it was a lot more pleasant to be outside, and the brunet could see how happy it made the other boy to have him around.

Soon the other players warmed up to Albus, and he became sort of their mascot, always around to cheer for them - or so they thought. It was a week before the first match of the season - Slytherin and Ravenclaw -, and the wind was already turning very cold, when one morning he was standing outside the changing room, waiting for Scorpius. Having forgotten to wear a thicker coat, he kept his arms close to his body and rubbed his hands together every few seconds to try and warm them.

"Hey, Al. What's up?" The team captain, a seventh-year student named Banes, asked as he left for the castle.

"I'm just waiting for Scorp." He smiled.

"Cold, are you?" The brunet nodded. "Why don't you wait inside, then?"

"I-I thought only team members were allowed in."

"Well, you're almost one, aren't you? After all, you _are_ our most loyal fan, the only one who watches our every practice." He joked, adjusting the backpack slipping from one of his shoulders. "Go on, I'm sure the others won't mind. And it wouldn't be good if you got sick or anything."

"Are you sure?" He raised a hopeful eyebrow.

"Yeah. See you later, Al." He left with a smile, and the boy hurried inside, glad to be involved in the steam coming from the showers around the corner.

The changing room wasn't too big, but the boy took a couple of minutes looking around anyway. There was a long hallway leading from the outside to the proper changing rooms, girls on the right and boys on the left, and it was divided into the showers and stalls section, and the area with the lockers, which had a long wooden bench running all the way through the middle of the room. As he entered, there were two boys finishing getting dressed, and smiled at him, who tried not to look and be inconvenient. After a few minutes sitting on his own, the blond boy appeared with a towel around his waist and another on his head, which he was using to dry his hair.

"What are you doing here?" Scorpius asked curiously with a smile and making his way to his locker, where he kept a bag with a change of clothes and his broom.

"The captain said I could come in. I forgot my coat, I was freezing out there." He replied, also smiling.

From that day on, Albus would always wait inside, and sometimes he talked to some of the other players, who all grew very fond of him. It was almost like he was a part of the team as well.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

The first Quidditch game was easily won by Slytherin, and the second, Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff, put the lion house neck-to-neck with the snakes on the run for the cup. The last game of the year was scheduled for the third weekend of November, just two weeks before the exams, and would feature Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Even though it was considered to be an easy game, the players were practicing very hard almost every day, and Scorpius was always exhausted when they finally returned to their Common Room.

"I swear, one of these days I'm still going to pass out of exhaustion in the middle of practice." He sighed, throwing himself sideways in an armchair and making Albus giggle. "I don't know what they're so worried about, really. Everybody says Hufflepuff is the worst team. And besides, we'll be on vacation afterwards, so what's all the extra work for?"

"Maybe the captain just wants to make sure we go into Winter Break on the lead." He suggested, sitting across from the boy and spreading some books on the coffee table between them.

"And there's still homework! And the exams! Really, don't that people have any common sense?" He complained, turning around so he was sitting right. "What do I still have to do?" Since the practices had been intensified, the brunet decided to take responsibility for making sure Scorpius was up to date with his homework, and ended up being the only of the two who knew what was done and what was still waiting in line.

"Potions and History of Magic. But they're just for Friday, so you also have tomorrow to finish. And I got you some books from the library to help." He smiled, pushing the afore mentioned books along with a blank piece of parchment to the blond.

"How do you even have time to go to the library?" Scorpius smiled back. "But thanks anyway."

"Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"No, what is it?" He asked distractedly, already with a thick book on his lap and a quill to take notes on his hand.

"I've heard that the captain may have you play the next game, since it shouldn't be too hard. Is it true?"

"Well, he may have mentioned something about wanting me to get experience before I'm the lead player next year. But I'm not sure. Maybe Hufflepuffs aren't too good, but we're tied with Gryffindor, and it'd be a big problem if I lost the game." He replied without raising his eyes.

"But it'd be great if you played, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, it'd be pretty cool for a change." He looked over the book with a big smile.

"Don't you ever get tired of all that practicing when you're not even going to play?"

"Well, I have to be ready for when I do, right? Besides, exactly _because_ I don't play that the practices are fun."

"If you say so."

"Look, you don't have to come with me every time, if it bores you so much." He said, putting the book down.

"But I thought you wanted me to."

"I do, but not if you don't want to. I feel like I can play better with you there, but if you hate it, one day you might hate _me_ for making you do that, and I don't want _that_ to happen."

Albus smiled. "I'm glad I help you play better." Scorpius smiled back before picking up the book again. "And I don't really mind being there, I mean, it's not much difference studying in the bleachers than in here."

"If you say so." He looked up over the top of the book just in time to see Albus sticking his tongue out at him, and chuckled. "So. About this essay for History of Magic. Is there any way you'll let me read yours and... well, rewrite it for myself?" He smiled, and the brunet raised an eyebrow. "Seriously. This thing is too boring. I haven't managed to finish the first paragraph yet, and I still have Potions to do."

"Fine, fine, but just this time, okay? Just because you've decided to join the team, it doesn't mean that now I'm responsible for both our homework."

"Thanks, Al!" He smiled broadly, reaching for the essay he was being handed.

The day before the match, the team captain had Scorpius stay for a few minutes after practice and asked him to play against Hufflepuff. After promising he'd win - not that the captain didn't already think he could - he raced to the changing room where he knew Albus was waiting for him and the two held each other tightly, excited, before some of the other players also congratulated the blond.

"So, excited, Scorp?" Casey Howard, the seventh-year who normally played his position, asked with a smile, messing with his hair.

"Yeah, very!"

"I'm sure you'll do great. And I'm glad to have a day off, my girlfriend's almost killing me because I don't have any time for her." He commented before walking away, still smiling.

Even though Scorpius knew he needed a good night's sleep before his first game, it didn't change the fact that he was far too nervous to sleep. He went to bed a little earlier than usual, but all he managed was to toss and turn for a couple of hours, until Albus got tired of just bearing witness to his friend's situation and moved to his bed. He wasn't sure how much it would help, but apparently it worked better than he thought, for within a few minutes, they both had calmed down enough to actually sleep.

"Come on, Scorp. It's time to wake up." Albus called, repressing a yawn. There was still some time to go before the match, but all players were required to present half an hour earlier.

The blond groaned before sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Already?"

"Yeah, come on. You don't want to be late." He smiled, jumping out of bed.

Not more than ten minutes later, they were on their way to the Great Hall, where the brunet practically had to force the other to put some food down his throat. Shortly after they arrived, so did most of the other players, who greeted them with a smile before finding themselves seats somewhere else. Once they were done eating, they walked to the Quidditch Pitch in silence, and Albus had plenty of time to choose the seat with the best view before any other spectator arrived.

Everybody watching cheered as the teams entered the field and aligned to begin the game. As soon as the whistle was blown, all players were in the air and Slytherin began slaughtering Hufflepuff. Before the snitch had been seen, the snake house already led by70 points and the players from the badger house could barely keep hold of the Quaffle, between dodging the other chasers and the Bludgers being merciless aimed at them. Scorpius was the first to see the golden ball on the edge of the field and launched his broom forward as fast as he could, but the other player was closer it, and after a few minutes of chase, they both had lost sight of it.

It wasn't until almost half an hour later that the snitch made another appearance, near the bottom of the Hufflepuff goal poles, and both seekers dived to it. They passed between two of the poles, flying up from there and way above the spectators, just to come down again almost crashing into the bleachers, and around the field, trying to hold the rebellious ball. The other player was at least two years older than Scorpius, and much bigger than him, so if it came down to it, the blond would probably lose, and he knew it. So instead of taking that chance, he leaned forward, making his broom pick up more speed and detouring from the snitch's trajectory a little to the left. With some luck, he was able to intercept it at it turned and tried to go up, barely stopping in time to avoid a collision.

It took everybody a few moments to realize the game had ended, and for a mass of green to start cheering as the players all came down. And for the rest of the day, especially in the Slytherin Dungeons, everybody partied and cheered their team. The boys were really excited, and couldn't stop discussing what had happened - or rather, Scorpius couldn't stop replaying the match, and even though Albus was pretty tired of hearing it after the fifth or sixth time, he understood his friend's feelings and gently smiled and agreed with him.

Before they knew it, the exams had passed and Winter Break arrived. It was time to go home once again, and the train ride back was much quieter than when they came. This time it was cold and damp, it snowed all along, the grey skies not letting much light through and making everybody feel lazy and sleepy. They shared their cabin with some other Slytherin kids, and all of them slept for the better part of the journey.

"I'll see you in a couple of weeks, then." Scorpius said with a smile, dragging his suitcase out of the train. They had decided to meet a few days before Christmas, to compare homework and exchange their gifts.

"I'll be looking forward to it." Albus smiled back, waving at his friend before turning around to go meet his parents, who were waiting with Lily and uncle Ron's family.

The first week of holiday went by very quickly, most days filled with homework. Albus wasn't too sure how his mom would take his decision of visiting Scorpius - even if it was only for a day -, so he chose to talk to his dad first, and had his chance on the first Friday he spent home, after dinner. Harry was sitting in his study, working by his desk, when Albus came in, shyly standing by the door until his dad noticed him.

"Hey, Al. Is everything alright?" He asked with a smile, waving for the boy to come in before running his eyes on the paper he was working on before putting it away in the first drawer.

"Yeah, it's, it's fine." He replied also smiling and taking a seat across the desk. "I-I just wanted to talk to you about something?"

"Of course! Go ahead." He encouraged.

"Well... Scorp and I were planning for me to come over one day on Christmas week, you know, just for one day. And I was wondering if that's okay?"

"Sure, why wouldn't it be?" He smiled, relieved. Every time James had asked to talk to him before had been about problems, and he couldn't help anticipating the same when he saw Albus at the door.

"I don't know. But I don't think mom will like it too much." He blushed slightly, looking down to his own hands.

"I'm sure she won't object, though. As you said, it's only for a day, right?"

"That's the plan." He smiled, looking up again. "And..."

"Yes?" Harry raised a curious eyebrow, a half-smile on his lips.

"I wanted to buy him something for Christmas."

"Okay. Do you have anything in mind?"

"I thought maybe a new pair of Quidditch winter gloves? He was complaining the other day that his were getting too small."

"I think that's a lovely idea, Al. He did just make the team, didn't he?"

"Yeah. And he's just won his first game as well." He said proudly.

"So how about we go to Diagon Alley tomorrow? Just you and me. And we can have a snack or something before coming home. It feels a bit too cold for ice-cream." He joked.

"Thanks, dad!" He jumped up his seat with a smile.

"But you still have to tell your mom, okay? And talk to Scorpius to see what day is better for his parents." He advised as the boy was leaving the room.

"Okay, dad. I will."

Albus decided to have everything planned before telling his mom about it, so he went straight to his room instead of finding her that night. As Ginny had planned to take the kids to visit her parents on the afternoon, Harry thought they could have their little shopping trip after lunch and meet the rest of them at the Burrow. The redhead was a little suspicious of the sudden change of plans, especially because none of the two would tell her why they needed to go to Diagon Alley so urgently, but agreed nonetheless.

"So, how are things with Scorpius?" Harry asked as they walked out of the Leaky Caldron, where they arrived by Floo.

"Fine, I guess."

"So he won't be running away this year, I guess?"

"No, dad." They smiled at each other.

"Do you even know what size gloves he wears?" Harry asked after a few minutes, as they reached Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Same as mine." Albus replied as they entered, and the next minute he'd run off to where the gloves were exposed.

Fifteen minutes later - the boy had a really hard time deciding -, they walked out of the shop with the gift in hand and decided to stop by Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, to check on George. He was still running the shop, and it was still very popular, but there was rarely any new article on the shelves, and it was mostly the loyal staff that took care of everything. The redhead as happy to see them, and the two men talked for a few minutes while Albus looked around. It was the same as he always remembered it, even though they rarely went there.

George suggested they went to the Burrow straight from the shop, so they wouldn't have to return outside, where snow had begun falling, but Harry remembered he still needed to buy Ginny something and, taking advantage of the company, they stopped by Madam Malkin's before returning to the Leaky Caldron. Harry ordered them both hot cocoa, as the snow had started falling more heavily on their way back, and once they were done, it was time to go meet the rest of the family.

It was decided that Albus would go to the Malfoy Manor on the 21st, and after insisting a little with Ginny - and with some interference from Harry -, he arrived there just after breakfast, to find Scorpius waiting anxiously for him. It was a sunny day, and they almost immediately went outside to play with the snow that had accumulated overnight. They built a tall snowman, that was then tackled to the ground by the boys before they engaged in a snowball fight that lasted until one of the house elves came to get them for lunch.

The afternoon was shared between comparing homework - and they were glad to see they had very similar results - and games of chess, before it was time for dinner. It had been decided Albus would return home after that, so the boys quickly ran to Scorpius's room to exchange their presents. They were both very happy with what they got, and the brunet was still smiling when he arrived home.

Christmas, as usual, was celebrated at the Burrow, with all the family reunited, and so was New Year's. Before they realized it, it was time to return to school, and they were all packed and sitting in the Hogwarts Express once more. The whole train was filled with excited chatter, and despite the length of the journey, very few could be found asleep. There was a banquet waiting for them when they arrived, which helped to warm everybody up from the cold weather outside, and soon everybody was well-fed and getting sleepy.

The first few weeks of classes weren't too hard to adjust to, but as the final exams approached, professors became more and more demanding, and the unstable weather was making more victims every day. Both Albus and Scorpius had a couple of visits to Madam Pomfrey for a dose of Pepper Up potion, as did almost every other student. The Quidditch games were progressing fairly well, with Gryffindor having a slight lead over Slytherin - they had the same number of victories, but overall the lion house had scored 20 more points.

The last game of the season - Slytherin versus Gryffindor - would decide who would take the cup, and would take place on the weekend after Scorpius birthday. And as an unexpected gift, the blond boy would be the one to play, once Casey Howard, the 7th year seeker, had suffered an accident a week and a half before the match, and prohibited to play by the school healer. It was a lot riding on his shoulders, and he was even more nervous than the previous time. He'd spent a couple of hours pacing in his dorm after dinner, where he had gone as soon as they returned from the Great Hall, and was forced to lie down when Lynus came to bed - the first of the other three to do so.

After rolling around for longer than he had the patience for, Scorpius got up quietly and went to the Common Room, where he could move around, which did seem to calm him a little. Never had he ever been so nervous and anxious before, and he wasn't sure how to deal with it. And every minute past reminded him that it was one less minute he had to rest before the game, making matters worse. He was distracted with his musings, and jumped in place when Albus appeared in front of him, holding him by the shoulders and making him stop.

"Come on, Scorp. This is not helping. Let's go back to bed."

"I can't stop thinking about all the things that could go wrong tomorrow, Al." He tried to smile, allowing himself to be led back to the dorm.

"Nothing's going to happen. You're going to play very well, and we're going to take the Cup. And everybody will cheer you, and you'll be our big hero." The brunet smiled.

"Yeah, right. I'll probably screw up and hand the game right over."

"No, you won't. You'll be fine, you'll see." He reassured, and the blond nodded briefly. "Now. My bed or yours?"

"Yours is probably warmer, since you just got up." He replied leaving his slippers by his own bed before joining the other boy in his.

"Do you want to talk a little before we try to sleep?" Albus offered, lying on his side and looking at the other boy.

"We shouldn't." He said quietly, and the brunet nodded, turning his back at him. They stayed quiet for a little while, but it didn't last long. "Have you ever wondered why this works so well?"

"What?" Albus asked, repressing a yawn and turning back around.

"I was wondering why sharing your bed always makes me feel better. It's a bit strange, isn't it? I mean, everybody else would probably think it is."

"I don't know why, I'm just glad it does." He smiled. "And nobody else has to know, right?"

"Right." Another few minutes of silence. "It doesn't bother you, though, does it?"

"Of course not."

"Good night, Al."

"Good night, Scorp."

It took the blond another several minutes, but he was finally able to rest. The following morning, however, his nerves were all back, and his stomach was doing so many cartwheels the mere idea of food made him want to run to the nearest bathroom. After some insistence from Albus, the boy managed to put down a glass of pumpkin juice and two slices of plain toast before they headed to the Quidditch Pitch. The brunet took what was becoming his captive seat, and waited for the game to begin.

As nervous as he felt, all it took for Scorpius to calm down was to feel the wind on his face as he took off. He had a privileged view from what was going on below him, as he flew a few laps around the field, looking not too eagerly for the snitch. The little golden ball had the bad habit of hiding for a considerable amount of time during the beginning of the game, and he decided to take a few moments to observe the other players.

That game was looking much harder than the one he'd been in before. Fifteen minutes in, both teams had only scored once, and the Quaffle rarely reached either end of the field before changing hands. As the minutes dragged on, and the players in green and red battled below him, it became clearer and clearer how important it would be for him to do his job.

"Hey, kiddo!" He heard someone call behind him, and turned around. It was the Gryffindor seeker, Atwood, a fifth-year boy.

"What do you want?" He asked, looking briefly at the boy before looking past him, scanning around again.

"What happened to Howard?" He asked with a malicious smile, hanging upside down from his broom, showing off. "You know, with him, you had a vague chance not to lose too badly."

"Oh, shut up." He complained, flying away, but the other boy followed him.

"Don't talk like that to your seniors, Malfoy. Or I'll have to come teach you a lesson once the game is over."

He looked over his shoulder briefly before looking ahead again. "Just leave me alone, okay? And go look for the snitch, that's what we're here-" He stopped what he was saying, having spotted a golden point near the ground. Without a second thought, he dove towards it, and a fraction of a second later, the Gryffindor player was on his tail.

"Don't even think about it, kid!" He warned as they went up following the snitch, around the goal poles and down again, getting closer to Scorpius at every second.

Before the blond could see what had hit him, he was rolling on the ground, his broom a few feet away and the crowd manifesting it's surprise. He looked up in time to see the Gryffindor player sneering at him. He quickly understood he'd been pushed by the other boy, who was taller and stronger, but at least it had cost him the golden ball, and in no time he was back in the air. The score was now 70 to Slytherin and 50 to Gryffindor, but it was a hard lead to keep, let alone expand.

For the next several minutes, Scorpius had to stand being teased by Atwood, before the boy got tired of it and flew the direction opposite his, resuming his attributions as seeker. He saw Albus wave as he flew over the bleachers, and smiled, even though he knew the boy couldn't see it. The game dragged on for another half an hour without anybody seeing any sign of the snitch, and the snake house had managed to double their lead when the blond finally saw the golden dot right above the middle of the field, a little lower than where he was. At the same time, Atwood also saw it, and the two lunged forward, eyes fixated on the snitch.

The golden ball didn't seem to move as they approached it, so both boys reached forward, but it decided to move after all in the last second, going down and to the left. The seekers had to change course with barely any time to spare, and hit their shoulders against one another. While it only got Atwood a bruise, Scorpius was thrown off balance and ended up hanging upside down on his broom. He took a moment to recuperate and follow the Gryffindor player, but that was all the advantage he needed to catch the snitch and end the match.

At the sound of the whistle, all players landed, and the crowd cheered their new champions. Scorpius saw the sneer Atwood sent his way before he joined his teammates' celebration, and shook his head as he headed back to the changing room. The atmosphere was a little heavy, all players upset they'd lost, but none as much as the blond boy. If only he'd caught the snitch! If only-

"It's alright, Scorp. You were great out there." Banes smiled at him, messing his hair.

"Yeah, you put up a great fight." Another boy encouraged.

"Yeah, well, I still lost, so..."

"You'll win the next time." The captain smile at him again, starting to get undressed and heading to the showers.

"Next time doesn't matter." He muttered to himself, following the other boys. When he came back to his locker, Albus was sitting there waiting for him.

"Sorry about today. You were great, though."

"Not great enough." He whispered, grabbing a clean t-shirt and putting it on.

"Come on, cheer up. It's only your second game, and it was against Gryffindor."

"I lost, okay? Stop making excuses for me." He asked, annoyed.

"Okay, sorry." Albus raised his hands, palms facing the other boy.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't talk like that to you. I'm just angry at what happened."

"Well, there's always next year." He smiled, watching the other boy finish getting dressed in silence, the same they shared while walking back to the castle. "How about a game of chess to distract?" He offered as they entered their Common Room.

"I think I'll stick with my homework. I think I'm running late with them, aren't I?"

"Just a little." Albus smiled. "Lucky we have all weekend for that."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

That summer promised to be a lot quieter than the year before, with both Harry and Ginny agreeing it was for the best they stayed home. James was going to spend a few days in some of his friends' houses in August, as long as he behaved and had his homework done by then. But it wouldn't take nearly as long for Albus and Scorpius to meet again. They'd only been back for a few days when Draco sent an owl to Harry, saying his son would like to come visit the following day. And the first few times they spent the day at each other's houses, the two men even bothered asking each other about it, but after a couple of weeks with almost daily visits, the boys came and went as they pleased. Except when Ginny started complaining too much, and Albus spent a couple of days without seeing the blond.

Decided not to repeat their last experience in the Diagon Alley - especially now the shopping trip would take longer, since both Lily and Hugo were starting school -, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione all agreed to go as soon as the letters had arrived, and were met with a fairly quiet alley. The first stop, as usual, was Gringotts, as none of them usually carried much money around, and then to Olivanders, or the two eleven-year-olds wouldn't stop nagging them. It only took them a couple of tries each to find the right wand, and then they were off to Madam Malkin's, followed by Flourish and Blots, the apothecary, and as the others had, the pet shop. All of them had gotten a pet when they entered Hogwarts.

At least that year, Albus had gotten off lightly on his mother's lectures, having Lily going for the first time. As usual, he sat with his housemates for the ride, and didn't see his siblings again until he was in Great Hall. The sorting ceremony that year seemed shorter than it had the year before, or maybe it was because he actually knew two of those being sorted, and wasn't as bored. Both Lily and Hugo barely had the hat put in their heads before it sent them to Gryffindor, and by the way James looked at him, he knew the boy still hadn't completely gotten over the fact that the same hadn't happened to him.

Shaking his head, the brunet turned his attention back to the children still to be sorted, now just four of them. Two went to Hufflepuff, another one to Gryffindor, and the last boy to Slytherin, to which he applauded loudly. After the banquet, they were guided to their Common Room and he fell on his bed, exhausted, falling asleep in his clothes. About an hour later, he woke up to the sounds of Thales and Lynus coming in, and found Scorpius sitting on his bed, reading a book.

"Slept well, sleeping beauty?" The blond joked, putting the book away and watching Albus scramble through his bag to find his pajamas.

"Seems I was more tired than I though." He smiled, having found what he was looking for. "What classes do we have tomorrow?"

"Double Charms, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, then Herbology and double Potions."

"Busy day." He complained, sticking his tongue out. "Maybe we shouldn't have chosen so many elective subjects."

"You remember we chose the minimum allowed, right?" The blond raised an eyebrow, getting a soft laughter in return.

"Fine. I just wish we had more free periods like last year. I wonder what you'll do now, with so many subjects plus being the lead seeker in the team." He climbed in his bad and sneaked under the covers. The other two boys were also in their beds and had already put out the light on their nightstands.

"I'll manage. I have you, after all." He joked, and dodged a pillow thrown at him by no more than an inch.

"Shut up, Scorp. Good night." He said, using his wand to put out his light and leaving it beside it, turning his back on the blond.

" 'Night, Al."

They quickly adjusted to their routines, and as Scorpius had hinted, it was up to Albus to make sure he had his homework always up to date, including reading text-books for him and highlighting the passages he'd need for his essays, so it would be less time-consuming. But despite his complaints, Albus did all of that willingly, glad to see his friend's face lighting up every time he gave him a book with all the notes he'd need. After all, he had a lot of time watching them practice, and was always keen to learn more, so it was all just an excuse to tease the blond.

The other exciting novelty for them was that, as third-year students, they were allowed to visit Hogsmeade, and even though it was just a small village, it was still very exciting. The first visit had been scheduled for the end of October, one weekend after the first Quidditch game of the season. Both boys were much more concerned with the latter than with the former, and quite a few times missed the hints some girls gave them, suggesting they wanted to be invited to go to the village with them.

Things only changed when a Ravenclaw girl approached them during lunch, two Wednesdays before the visit day, and practically dragged Albus to a corner. The brunet sent a confused look to Scorpius, who was sitting at the table trying not to laugh too much of him, while some of the other kids were whispering about what was happening. The girl was a year older than them, her name was Heather McCarthy and had they been paying any attention, they'd know she was one of the most popular girls from her year.

"So, hm, Albus, I was wondering, you know, you're going to Hogsmeade, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I thought maybe you'd like to come with me?"

"Hm, thanks, but I already said I'd go with Scorp." He smiled, distractedly.

"No, I, I thought you'd come with me as in, you know, a date." She whispered the last word, blushing a little, as did the boy.

"Oh. I see. Hm, I don't mean to be rude or anything-"

"Then say yes?" She smiled at him, making him even more embarrassed.

"Well, the thing is..." He looked around, his eyes meeting Scorpius's and asking for help, but the blond boy only smiled at him, having too much fun with his embarrassment.

"Yes?" She looked hopefully at him.

"He'll be glad to go with you, Heather." They heard James say before smiling and winking at his brother, already headed to his own table.

"Is he serious? Will you?" She turned back to Albus, who was beginning to sweat a little.

"I..."

"Oh, I'm so happy! Thank you, Albus!" She smiled, leaving a peck on his cheek. "I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall, then, is that alright?" All the boy managed to do was nod weakly. "Great. See you later, then!" She said cheerfully before practically hopping back to her table.

"So, what's the big news?" Scorpius asked teasingly, poking the boy with his elbow.

"I... sort of said I'd go with her to Hogsmeade." He whispered, his arms crossed over the table and his forehead resting on them.

"Did you, now?" The blond smiled. "Somebody's got a girlfriend!" He chanted in a low voice, gaining a punch on the arm in return.

"You don't mind?" He asked after a few minutes.

"What? About you two being together?"

"We're not together!" He urged, looking at his friend. "It's just this one time."

"You don't like her, then?"

"Well, I don't even know her."

"Maybe you will, after you two spend a romantic day together..." He joked, and Albus gave him a killer look, unable to decide if he should hit the boy again.

"But I'd said I'd go with you instead. Is it okay if I don't?"

"Well, there's not much choice anyway, is there?" He shrugged, reaching for some bread. "Besides, if what I heard is right, there's apparently a bunch of girls waiting for me to ask them out as well. So maybe we could have a double date or something."

"You think so? I'd feel much better if I wasn't alone with her."

"If you're so uncomfortable with the idea, why did you even agree to it?"

"Well..." He blushed slightly, looking away under the pretense of getting a piece of meat. "James said I would, and she seemed so happy I couldn't say no."

"I should've known your brother was part of it." He said, shaking his head slightly. "Now. Who do you think I should invite? I know that girl over there likes me..." He pointed to a third-year girl on his table, and she blushed when their eyes met, making him roll his eyes. "And her..." Another girl in their table, this time a fourth-year, who was too entertained in the conversation she was having to see him. "And her." He pointed to yet another one, still in the Slytherin table, but on the other side, who appeared to be younger than them.

"I don't know. But mine's older, so perhaps her?" He pointed to the fourth-year girl, who finally noticed them, and waved and smiled at him briefly. "So at least they have something in common."

"I guess."

"It's a shame, though. I was looking forward to going to the Shrieking Shack with you, but I don't think they'd like it too much."

"Maybe we could get rid of them after a while? I mean, you never said you'd spend the _entire_ day with that girl, did you?" The brunet shook his head. "So. Maybe there's still hope." He smiled.

The day of the visit arrived sooner than they'd hoped for, and they were a little nervous as they left their dorm. Since Scorpius's date was also a Slytherin - Albus later found out her name was Tracy Howard -, the three of them headed to the Entrance Hall together, and met Heather there. The Ravenclaw girl didn't seem too thrilled to be in a double-date, but it was clearly the best she would get, and she had her own plans to spend at least _some_ time alone with the boy. And one look to Tracy told her the girl also shared her intentions.

They talked easily as they walked to the village, and their first stop was Honeydukes, where the boys bought enough supplies to last until their next visit. Teasingly, Scorpius offered to buy his date some Chocolate Caldrons, which she took as a sign of chivalry and interest, and Albus felt compelled not to be left behind by the blond, and also bought Heather some treats. As it was the boys' first time visiting the village, they stopped in almost every shop so they could have a look around, and they spent quite some time choosing what to take from Zonko's, much to the girls' unhappiness. They reached the Three Broomsticks at lunchtime, to find it very crowded and loud.

Heather and Tracy told the boys to get the food and beverages while they found them seats and, unbeknownst to Scorpius and Albus, planned how to split them up. It took them some time, but eventually all four were sitting down and enjoyed a very pleasant meal, accompanied by their first taste of Butterbeer, even if it was a little hard to talk with all the noise around them. It didn't take long for the girls to put their plan in action, each of them dragging one boy into a different shop and "accidentally" losing each other in the middle of the crowd.

Once they were out of the clothes shop Heather spend good fifteen minutes looking around, she dragged Albus to a more distant part of the village, where the two found a bench and sat down to talk. He was glad they had more in common than he expected, and time flew by. Almost an hour later, they finally ran out of things to discuss, and ended up in a slightly uncomfortable silence. Albus's thoughts finally returned to Scorpius, and he began wondering where the boy was, what he was doing and so on. He had his eyes on his feet, and was so lost in his musings he never saw the kiss coming. It was a very soft and chaste touch of lips, and didn't last more than a fraction of a second, but it was enough to get the boy's attention. When he looked up, Heather had already looked away, her cheeks a light shade of pink.

"Wh-what was that?" He asked in a low voice, his eyes turning back to his feet.

"I think you know." She whispered back.

"Well, I know what it was, but what was it for?"

"So you know I like you."

"I..."

"I know you don't really know me, Albus, but maybe if you did, you know, maybe we could... be together or something."

"Look, that's, that's really nice, I mean-"

"You can have as much time to think as you want. I just thought you should know I like you, in case you haven't noticed it yet." She said, getting up. "I'll see you around, then." She said without turning back, and began walking away.

"Wait! Heather!" He got up and held her by the arm.

"What is it?" She turned with an evidently forced smile, trying to sound as kind as she could.

"Look, I'm really... flattered that you like me, but I just... I think I'm not ready for this yet. I'm sorry that's not what you want to hear, but I don't think I should leave you hanging when I already know the answer." He also tried to smiled, but couldn't make his eyes meet hers, embarrassed.

"Are you sure you don't need to think about it, Albus? I mean-"

"I'm sorry, but I'm sure." He let her arm go as she turned around again.

"Well, if that's your final decision." Her voice was firmer than she expected, and she quickly walked away.

Albus let himself fall back on the bench with a sigh. He had gathered by the way she'd made a point to call it a date that she was interested, but he honestly didn't think she'd be so straight forward, let alone he'd have to... dismiss her. It was much harder and much more embarrassing than he'd ever imagined it would be. Not that he'd ever really thought about that.

After a few moments, his thoughts turned back to Scorpius, and he took a walk around the village looking for his friend. He even took the path marked to the Shrieking Shack, but the blond was nowhere to be found, and he walked quietly back to castle, entertained with his own thoughts. The two only met again shortly before dinner, in their Common Room, where Albus had been trying to distract himself with a book, unsuccessfully.

"Where were you?" The brunet asked as the other took a seat across from him.

"Tracy didn't take me not being interested in her too well and ran off. And then she fell and twisted her ankle, so I had to bring her back to the castle, and she made me sit with her in the Hospital Wing forever, and hear all her complaints. My ears hurt." He stuck out his tongue before smiling.

"Well... If it helps, Heather wasn't too happy either."

"What happened?" He leaned forward, suddenly very interested.

"Nothing as dramatic as what happened to you, that's for sure." They smiled at each other, and Albus suddenly looked away, blushing slightly as he recollected what had happened. "Uh... We talked a lot, and it was really nice, until she..."

"Until she what?" He asked excitedly.

"She kissed me." He whispered quickly. "And then she said she liked me, and that she wanted us to be together. But I told her I didn't want to, and she left."

"She kissed you?" His smile grew.

"Well, yeah, but it was just for a moment." Albus's cheeks acquired a darker shade of pink. "Anyway, that's not important. But then I was looking all over for you, and couldn't find you."

"Of course it is important! What-"

"We'll be late for dinner!" He said, jumping from his armchair. "Come on, let's go." He made his way out without waiting for the blond boy, who was giggling as he followed him.

It wasn't until they were both in Scorpius's bed that the blond had a chance to return to the subject, and this time Albus had nowhere to run or hide.

"So... What was it like kissing her?" He asked in the dark, slightly sorry he couldn't see just how red the brunet's face was.

"I said it doesn't matter. And it's personal, anyway." He replied in his best conclusive tone.

"Oh, don't be a spoilsport! Was it your first kiss?" Albus nodded. "You know I can't see your reply, right?" He teased, even though he had seen it clearly enough in the greenish glow coming from the windows.

"Yes, Scorp, it was."

"And?"

"And... It was weird." He confessed.

"Good weird or bad weird?"

"Bad, I think. I don't know, maybe that's how it's supposed to feel like, and you just get used to it. But since people seem to like it so much, I thought it'd feel better."

"Maybe it does get better as we get older."

"Have you ever kissed anyone?"

"No. Well, not really. It doesn't really count when you're five and it's your cousin, does it?"

Albus giggled. "I guess not. How was it, do you remember?"

"I don't remember much, to be honest. We were visiting my aunt in France, and I was playing hide and seek with some cousins. And one of them, the youngest, who's a couple of years older than me, insisted we kissed. So we did, and she seemed pretty happy about it. But I don't remember how it felt. I know I didn't particularly want to do it again."

"The only girl my age I had to play with was Rose, and she was never really interested in playing with us, so let alone that." They smiled in the dark.

"Maybe it just wasn't the right girl. Maybe next time it'll be better."

"Maybe."

They were both lost in their own thoughts after that, and ended up falling asleep without realizing it. The following morning, Tracy made sure they knew she was still upset when she passed them by in the Great Hall, making both boys laugh once she was out of sight, and Heather seemed completely oblivious to them. In time, the matter was forgotten, and both boys were happy to return to their normal routine of homework and Quidditch.

The second game of the season would feature Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, and even though Scorpius wouldn't play, the team captain required all players to always be present, in order to study their adversaries' strategies. And even without that, chances were the boys, as the rest of the castle, would be found in the Quidditch Pitch no matter who was playing. It turned out to be a very exciting game, the lion house having lost two of its best players, who'd graduated, and the raven house putting up a great fight, keeping the score tied for most of the time, until the snitch was caught.

Before the last Quidditch game of the year - Slytherin and Ravenclaw -, they'd have another visit to Hogsmeade, and both boys got shivers just thinking about going through the same drama they had the last time. They even considered not going at all, but as no girls approached them between the visit being announced and the actual day, they figured it would be okay. Somehow they had the impression the girls they'd taken last time had something to do with that, not that they were complaining.

Having stayed up late talking the night before, both boys woke up late, and only left the castle after a lazy breakfast. First stop, and it couldn't have been any different, was Honeydukes, which was, of course, followed by Zonko's. Having just eaten, they weren't too anxious to get to lunch, not to mention be in the middle of the crowd gathered in the Three Broomsticks, so they opted instead to take a walk to the Shrieking Shack, as they wanted to do last time. Snow began falling halfway through, and they just smiled at each other before continuing walking in silence.

They stood long minutes by the fence observing the old house and discussing the rumors they'd heard about it. After a while, they sat on the fence and picked up some of the sweets they'd bought, still entertained in their discussion, which was very welcome to both, as they were both a little scared of getting in, and that delayed posing the challenge.

"Thinking about going into the haunted house, Al?" They heard James call as the boy and some friends walked up to them.

"I don't see why. It's abandoned anyway." He replied, trying not to let his voice betray him.

"Well, but that's the fun part, isn't it? There's no one in there to kick you out." Jordan smiled as they stopped beside them, contemplating the house.

"Besides, just because there aren't any people living in there, it doesn't mean it's abandoned." A boy they didn't know argued, looking at them maliciously.

"Come on, James, leave them alone." Frank asked them, sounding tired. "They're right anyway, there's nothing interesting in there."

"What, are you afraid of going in, Frankie?" James sneered at the boy.

"I'm not afraid, but neither do I have to prove anything to anybody by doing something stupid." He replied seriously, making the older boys laugh. "And neither should you." He advised Albus and Scorpius.

"We just thought we'd come check it out. We were leaving anyway." Albus replied with a smile, both boys jumping off the fence.

"No need to run, Al." James called after them, and they turned around. "It's not like we'd say you're cowards if you refuse to go in."

"We wouldn't expect any less from Slytherins anyway." The unknown boy spurred, and sparkles began flying from Albus's eyes.

"Leave them alone already, won't you?" Frank tried to pull James the opposite way from the other two boys. "There's no need for that."

"You see, Frankie, I think I know what's going on here." Jordan sneered. "I think you and them are too scared of going in, and you keep pretending to be too mature for it, so you won't have to admit how scared you are."

"I'm not scared." Albus affirmed, and before anyone could stop him, he'd jumped the fence and began marching to the house.

"Al! Come on! Come back!" Scorpius asked, waiting for a moment before following him, ignoring the other boys laughing.

"Yeah, thanks for that, Jamie." Frank complained, also hopping to the other side of the fence. "They'll have weeks of detention if they're caught, and you know it. And he's your brother." He said before running after the other two boys. "Albus! Scorpius! Come back!"

The blond finally reached the brunet and held him by the arm, making him stop. "You don't need to do this!"

"Let me go, Scorp! I'm going to show up on that top window and they'll have to shut up."

"Don't be stupid, Albus." Frankie said, panting and leaning forward to catch his breath. "You'll get in trouble if you get caught. And you should know better than to listen to your brother's petty provocations."

"He's right, Al. Come on, let's go back. I'm getting hungry, maybe we could have something to eat?"

"I told you I'm doing it, so let me go!" He tried to pull his arm, but both boys held him tight.

"It's not like they're going to see anyway, Al." Frankie said, tilting his head to where the other boys should've been.

"Where have they gone?"

"Hopefully just away, but maybe to get some professor to rattle you out. Now let's go back, okay?" Frankie urged, and after a moment's doubt, the brunet agreed. "Good. Let's go the Three Broomsticks, it shouldn't be too crowded anymore. And maybe we can talk a little, it's been a while since we last did that."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Winter Break was a quiet holiday. Albus and Scorpius met a few days before Christmas, but this time it was the blond who came to Grimmauld Place. They spent part of the day in the park in front of the house, with Harry and Lily, but for the most part, they were in the brunet's room hiding from James, who seemed to dread the presence of a Malfoy in the house and was decided to pull every last prank he could think of on the boy, just to make sure he'd never show up again.

The first couple of weeks back at Hogwarts went by quickly and smoothly, but soon not only their schoolwork load grew, but the practices intensified with the approach of the last game of the season for the snake house, the traditional Slytherin versus Gryffindor. With two or three players from both houses having graduated the year before, they found themselves behind Ravenclaw in the run for the Cup. The raven house had two wins and a fifty-point overall lead on the snake house, but wouldn't play any more games; Slytherin also had two wins, and only needed to beat the lion house to take the Cup; and Gryffindor, with only one win, not only needed to beat the snake house by over fifty points, but needed to score more than three hundred points in the game to take the Cup. It would be one exciting game.

As winter turned to spring and the temperatures quickly rose, all students began spending more and more time outdoors, and the second visit of the year to Hogsmeade was very quiet for the boys. After the excitement about being allowed out of the school had died, and they knew by heart where everything was stored in their favorite shops, the boys would usually make it a quick trip, and take advantage of the mostly silent castle. They had found a more or less hidden spot by the lake, where they often went to study, as it was fresher and they could dip their feet in the cool water without worrying about being told off by any professor or prefect.

Before they knew it, the last and decisive game had arrived, and as usual, Scorpius's nerves were driving the boy crazy. He'd been learning to control them better, getting used to the feeling of being the lead player, but Gryffindor games were always tough, and the added pressure of having to win - though, if he stopped to think about it, the Cup was always decided in the last game - had given him sleeping problems for a few days before the game. To try and help his best friend, that Friday night Albus invited him for a game of chess once they'd returned from the Great Hall after dinner, and though it helped a little, the blond was still very distracted, and lost twice in a row. But by then, all the other students had gone to bed, and though his nerves tried to fight it, Scorpius's body had begun showing signs he was very tired.

"Come on, then. Off to bed." Albus invited with a smile, weakly corresponded by the other boy.

"I won't be able to sleep, Al." He complained in a low voice as they walked to their dorm.

"Don't worry. I'll do my magic, whatever it is. Besides, you have to be rested for tomorrow. The captain will kill you if you fall asleep in the middle of the game." They giggled, and took a moment to steady their breaths before entering the room where the other two boys slept.

They got changed in silence, and laid in Scorpius's bed on their sides, facing each other. They spent long minutes just looking at one another, Albus fighting to keep his eyes open while the blond fought to persuade his to shut.

"You're going to sleep before me." Scorpius whispered with a smile.

Albus yawned. "I won't. Go ahead, you sleep. I'll be watching you." He yawned again.

The blond boy suppressed a laugh. "I don't think so. I think it'll be like it always is before games."

"Well, you normally sleep before the games, so it's a start." He smiled.

"Hopefully."

"And you do know it's harder to sleep if you keep talking, right?"

"Well, I'll shut up then." He pretended to be offended, and before he could move, Albus had hit him with his own pillow. "Good night." He said, trying not to laugh too loudly.

"Good night." The brunet turned around, falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

"Al?" Scorpius whispered, several minutes later. He was now lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. "Are you awake?" When no reply came, he smiled to himself and turned his back at his friend, finally feeling relaxed enough to sleep. He knew having Albus on the same bed as him worked every time, but for some mysterious reason, his brain always doubted it on the eve of the games. Maybe he just liked to have the boy tuck him in.

They woke up early the following morning, and within minutes they were dressed and ready to go. Feeling hungry as he didn't remember ever having before a game, Scorpius put down a large plate of food, and was about to get a second one when Albus reminded him it probably wasn't too good an idea to have his stomach stuffed before the game. They were talked excitedly as they made their way to the Quidditch Pitch, and waved at each other briefly as the blond entered the changing room and the brunet went up to the bleachers.

The tension was palpable minutes before the whistle was blown. The Quaffle changed hands at least half a dozen times before Gryffindor managed to attempt a goal, skillfully defended by the Slytherin keeper. Scorpius knew he just had to catch the snitch for them to win the Cup, and he intended to do that as quickly as possible. He also knew the other seeker had been instructed not to end the game until the lion house had enough of a lead - not that it seemed too likely, after the first half hour, at least -, and would do whatever it took to keep him from grabbing the gold ball.

It was just over forty minutes the game had begun when they both spotted the golden shine, almost at the same time, right above a group of Hufflepuff students. While Scorpius was headed for the snitch, Atwood, the Gryffindor seeker, was headed for him. If it was hard enough to catch the snitch following its random course and dodging bludgers, it would prove to be nearly impossible while trying not to be knocked out of his broom as well. He barely had time to chase the ball before he lost sight of it, mainly because of Atwood.

The older boy sneered at him as he flew up again, and Scorpius had to take a few deep breaths to steady himself while he flew some laps around the pitch. About ten minutes later, he found the snitch again, just a few inches above ground, and dove for it, hoping he'd get to it before the other boy could reach him. The sudden turn the snitch made almost caused him to crash, and while it didn't make him lose sight of the ball, it gave Atwood time to catch up, and he was once again trying to dodge three things at the same time _and_ catch the snitch.

This time the pursuit lasted several minutes, but soon the golden ball had disappeared once more. Scorpius began to feel tense; with the scoreboard, even if fairly even, going higher up, there was a real chance that, if Atwood caught the snitch before him, Gryffindor could take the Cup. He was decided not to let that happen, and began circling the pitch even more furiously, taking false dives to distract the other seeker and doing other risky moves, searching desperately for the golden snitch.

The game was reaching an hour and a half when the snitch appeared for the third time, just below Atwood, who hadn't yet seen it. Scorpius let out a curse as he tried to discreetly approach the other boy while keeping his eyes on the ball. When he was halfway there, the Gryffindor boy noticed him and began making fun of him, which suited the blond just fine, for it meant he wasn't paying attention to the game. He was as close to the other player as he could get away with, and for a few tense moments, the snitch gave no signs of moving. Then suddenly it took off, with Scorpius on its tail, and Atwood on his.

They both had their hands reached out, but for very different purposes. The blond could almost feel the snitch on the tips of his fingers when he was suddenly pulled back, and Atwood got between him and the snitch. The older boy was sneering at him, looking over his shoulder, when they both heard the announcement they were least expecting: Atwood had caught the snitch, and he game was over. In his distraction, the little ball had got caught in his uniform, and while it wasn't _technically_ catching it, it was enough to end the game.

They shared an equally surprised look before heading each to their side of the field, anxiously waiting for the points to be counted and show up on the scoreboard. Everybody seemed to hold their breaths as they waited, and it took them all a few moments to realize that, though Gryffindor had won the game, it hadn't been enough to beat Ravenclaw, who'd take the Cup as hadn't happened in at least three or four decades. It wasn't ideal, but at least Gryffindor hadn't won, their captain said as they headed to their changing rooms to a well-deserved hot shower.

Scorpius was upset for a few days after the game, and devoted himself to his studies. He hadn't been able to do that properly, having Quidditch practices far too often, and he wanted to catch up before they were too close to the exams. Albus watched him, thinking it would be better to give him some space, even if he couldn't really understand why anyone would be so upset over a stupid game of Quidditch.

But the truth was, it wasn't only Scorpius who was feeling the effects of their loss. Most of Slytherin and Gryffindor were quieter, talking less in the Great Hall and being less participative in class. It took them almost a week to return to normal, but after that time, Scorpius still seemed more interested in History of Magic than talking to Albus. And it didn't take long for the brunet's patience to reach its limit.

"Okay, talk to me. Why the hell are you still depressed about the cup?" He asked one afternoon. They had finished their classes for the day, and were sitting by the fire in their common room. Since their loss, Scorpius also hadn't wanted to spend any time outdoors, even though it was getting abnormally warm inside the castle.

"I'm not depressed, Al. I just... Want to concentrate on my studies, I don't want to fail any exams."

"You won't fail. Even if you don't study 24 hours a day." He complained, pulling the book out of Scorpius's hands and getting a protest in return. At least it'd made the silver eyes meet his own. "And we both know you're not really studying."

"Of course I am!" He tried to sound offended, and the brunet just stared at him, one eyebrow raised. "Fine. Maybe not all the time."

"Come on. Let's take a walk." He offered, tilting his head towards the door. After an uncertain moment, the blond agreed, and they walked in silence until they crossed the heavy doors at the Entrance Hall. "I know you love Quidditch. And that you feel responsible for not catching the snitch. But it's just a game, Scorp." He tried to reason with a sympathetic smile.

"But it was my fault, Al. If only I'd done something to stop Atwood..." He whispered, his eyes focused on the grass in front of his feet.

"Believe me, if he could, Atwood wouldn't have caught the snitch either." He tried to joke, but it got him not response. "You'll do better next year, you'll see."

"I suppose so." He sighed.

"Then cheer up!" Albus elbowed the blond, smiling, and got a faint smile in reply. They arrived at their little secret spot by the lake and sat down, taking off their shoes and socks and dipping their feet in the cool water. "That's much better..." He whispered, content. They stayed long minutes in silence, the brunet watching the other boy closely, and Scorpius once again lost in his thoughts. "What is it? There's something else, isn't there?"

"It's just... I don't even know. It's not important." He gave his best smile, but it didn't convince Albus.

"Come on. Just tell me what it is, maybe I can help you solve it. Or at least you won't have to carry that burden alone. They do say talking helps." He encouraged.

"So they say. But I'm fine, really. I promise."

"You know you can trust me, right?"

"I know. And if it keeps troubling me, I'll tell you. But I think I just needed a change of air. You should've dragged me out of those dungeons long ago." He smiled, the first genuine smile since the game, and Albus felt immensely relieved, even more than he thought he would.

They stayed quiet for several minutes before agreeing to return to the castle. It would be suppertime soon, and they suddenly realized they were starving. In the following days, things returned to what they used to be, and both boys soon forgot all about that. They were both fine after all, and that was all that mattered.

The last visit of the year to Hogsmeade was just a couple of weeks before the final exams, and the weather had improved a lot already. The sun shone most days, and the students spent all their free time under the trees and by the dark lake, seeking some refreshment from what promised to be one hot summer. As Albus and Scorpius got older, the late night talks dragged further into the night, and it wasn't uncommon for the boys to wake up late on the weekends, often resorting to a trip to the kitchens in order to have breakfast.

That day was no different: it was mid-morning already when the boys woke up, and almost another half-hour until they left the castle, between getting ready and walking to the school gates. Another several minutes of silent walk later, as they were both still sleepy, they arrived in the village and decided to have an early lunch, thus avoiding the rush of lunchtime. For once, the Three Broomsticks was fairly empty, and they got to pick their table and take their time enjoying the meal and their Butterbeers.

When they left the pub, it was beginning to fill up, and the center of the village was getting too crowded for them to be comfortable, so they opted to go for a walk by the least popular trail: the one leading to the Shrieking Shack. There was nobody else on their way, and the sun shining bright above their heads was making them sweat a little. On the vast lawn in front of the abandoned house, there were several old trees, and it only took them an exchanged look to agree to lay below one of them.

They couldn't tell if it was the heat, the freshness of the shade, the softness of the grass growing under them or their full stomachs, but the fact was that, within a few minutes of lazy talk, they had both drifted back to sleep. Almost an hour later, the blond was the first to wake up, and took his time stretching his limbs as he sat up, smiling and shaking his head slightly as he realized Albus was still sound asleep. His smile grew as he watched the wind play with his friend's ever rebellious hair for a moment before getting up and, as the brunet didn't seem to notice him, he decided to go back to the center of the village and do some shopping for the two of them. Then maybe they could return straight to the castle when he was back.

It was a quiet walk to Zonko's, with the noise of people growing as he approached the shop. The smile from earlier still lingered in his lips, and even the excess of people both there and in Honeydukes didn't bother him. He chose an assortment of their favorite jokes and candies, and had a blood-flavored lollipop in his mouth as he slowly made his way back to where he'd left Albus, the bags dangling softly in rhythm with his steps. If he thought about it, he wouldn't be able to precise why he felt so content, but it was turning out to be one of those days he knew he'd always treasure. One of the few there were no other worries in his mind, and he could just relax.

As he approached the tree they'd lied under, he noticed Albus was no longer alone. The brunet was still lying down, but there was some girl he couldn't recognize from that distance leaning over the boy. Scorpius stopped walking without even realizing it, holding his breath as he watched what was happening without being seen. He saw the girl kiss the sleeping boy, who woke up with the touch, and they smiled embarrassedly at each other as Albus sat up. Then they exchanged a few words he was too far to hear, before they both stood up and he was seen.

"Scorp! Hi!" He heard the boy scream, waving at him, and he tried to smile as he walked to where the other two stood.

He shouldn't be so surprised, he knew that. After all, that wasn't the first girl to show interest in his best friend - he even had a few after himself -, and he knew such things were bound to happen as they got older. But why then did it hurt so much to bear witness to that?

* * *

Albus was dreaming about returning to the dragon sanctuary with Scorpius when something woke him up. He opened his eyes, confused for a moment, before everything sank in. He'd woken up in the middle of a kiss, and stood as still as he possibly could until the girl had pulled away, before he sat up, putting some distance between them and smiling the best he could, absolutely embarrassed.

"Hi." He said tentatively.

"Hi." The girl replied shyly, blushing and looking away.

"Hm, I, hm..."

"I'm sorry I caught you by surprise." She whispered, forcing him to lean forward to hear what she was saying. "I just saw you there, and I thought I'd never have the courage to say anything, and you were looking so beautiful, and I couldn't resist and-"

"Look, it's okay." He reached for her arm, making their eyes meet. "I'm not mad at you or anything."

"You're... not?"

"No." He tried to reassure her with a smile. "It's just... I don't want you to have the wrong impression. I'm, hm, flattered, but, really, the thing is, I'm... Well, I'm not interested."

"Oh." She tried to smile, looking away and standing up.

"Look, it's nothing personal, okay?" He said quickly, also standing up. "I'm sure you're a very nice girl, but I don't even know you, and I'm... not ready to be with anyone."

"I'm sorry for what I did." She turned her back at him, trying to hide the stubborn tear that insisted in falling. "It won't happen again."

"Don't worry about it, okay?" He smiled, touching her shoulder and looking around for some - any - distraction. It was only then that he saw the blond standing several feet away. "Scorp! Hi!" He waved frantically, and as he saw the boy coming closer, he turned around to pick their backpacks. "We're good, yeah?" He asked the girl touching her shoulder. She turned around with a smile, the tears barely being held back, and nodded weakly. "Friends?"

"I'd like that." She whispered, and he smiled at her before running a few steps to catch up with Scorpius.

"Where were you?" He asked as they changed directions, taking the path that led back to the village.

"Doing our shopping while you slept. So we'd save some time." Scorpius smiled, his voice slightly muffled by the lollipop still in his mouth, and raised the bags he'd forgotten he was carrying. "Should we go back, then?"

"Sure. I'll bet you're anxious to get studying." He smiled teasingly, and got a light punch on the shoulder as a reply.

Scorpius was very quiet for the rest of the day, his mind far from the books opened before him. There was still something bothering him, that seemed to grow every time his mind insisted in replaying for him the kiss he'd seen. And he didn't want the brunet to know he was watching them, so he couldn't even confront Albus about it. But even if he could, he wasn't sure if he wanted to. He feared discovering something he didn't want to know.

"Scorp? You're still awake?" He heard Albus whisper later that night, the two of them lying in the blond's bed, staring at the faint green patterns the water produced on the ceiling.

"What is it?" He asked, trying to sound as natural as possible. But the truth was, suddenly having his friend so close made him feel weird, uncomfortable and very happy at the same time, which only added to his confusion.

"You know the girl from earlier?"

Scorpius's heart sank when he realized where their conversation was going. "The one you were with when I came back with our things?" He asked carefully.

"Yeah, her. Do you know her?"

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Well..." He blushed a little, then whispered, "She kissed me."

"She did? Oh..." He tried to sound surprised, swallowing hard to try and undo the knot in his throat.

"Yeah. Do you think girls will keep doing that? Every time I'm distracted?"

"Maybe."

"I don't like it, you know." He said quietly, turning his head to look at the boy decided to keep his eyes on the ceiling. "I always feel bad about turning them down, and girls are so sensitive I always end up making them cry."

"Well, it's their own fault, though, isn't it? They are the ones kissing you without your permission."

"I guess so." He sighed. "Do you think either of us will have a girlfriend any time soon?"

"Do you want to?" He asked, holding his breath.

Albus shrugged. "Dunno. It doesn't really sound interesting to me."

Scorpius couldn't help smiling. "Me neither."

"Good. It's less complication to our lives." He smiled at his friend, who finally let their eyes meet, and smiled back. "Maybe now is your turn to have kisses stolen." He suggested with a naughty smile, gaining a light punch on the shoulder.

"You're the one who's Mr. Popular, Al, not me. There's no such risk for me."

"Oh, I'm not so sure... You see, I heard these girls talking -"

"Oh, shut up." He smiled. "Let's just go to sleep, okay? Good night."

Scorpius turned his back to the brunet, who giggled softly. They remained quiet for a few minutes, before the blond rolled on his back again, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. As he did so, he noticed the other boy still watching him, and they shared a brief smile before he closed his eyes again. A moment later, he felt his heart skip a beat as lips touched his own, for not more than a fraction of a second, and his eyes opened immediately, turning his head to look at the boy smiling at him.

"There. Now you've also had a kiss stolen." He chuckled, but Scorpius was too shocked to react. "Come on, it's not that bad. I won't tell if you won't." He joked, and the blond tried to smile. "Good night, then." Albus said before turning his back at him, still smiling, and drifting off to sleep.

It was only when eye contact was broken that Scorpius released the breath he didn't realize he was holding, taking several minutes for his heartbeat to return to normal. It obviously wasn't a big deal to his friend, so why did it make him so nervous, excited, anxious all at the same time? And why wouldn't his lips stop tingling, when the kiss had barely lasted enough for him to realize it had happened? The sun had already risen when he finally managed to fall asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Scorpius didn't have a lot of time to be confused or to analyze what that all meant. All too soon their final exams were starting, and they were faced with a different theoretical exam every morning, and a practical exam every afternoon. It was very exhausting for all the students, and the blond was secretly very thankful for it. And all the moments he had for himself, he made sure to occupy with studies. Even Albus thought he was overreacting a little, and had teased him about it a few times. And he couldn't help his heart skipping a beat every time he saw that smile lighten up the brunet's face.

After the exams were done, however, they both found themselves with way too much free time in their hands, still with a couple of days to prepare before heading home. Games of chess were a good diversion, as was being around other students - their mindless conversations demanded much of his attention to keep up, leaving little free time for his musings. And vacations didn't sound like such a bad idea after all, it'd be good to have some time for himself, to put his thoughts back in order.

The ride home was agitated, all the boys around him talking loudly about their holiday plans. The blond boy was distracted with the landscape for most of the time, paying just enough attention to what was being said to know when he was supposed to reply. Actually, he wasn't properly looking at the uninteresting view, but at the boy sitting across from him, and how his lips curled when he smiled, and his hair moved ever so softly when he turned his head. He'd spent the two previous days trying to stop doing that, shaking his head hard every time he caught himself staring, but eventually he gave up. I would probably go away once he had some time alone.

The platform at their arrival was as chaotic as ever, and after waving at each other briefly, they lost sight of one another as they made their ways to their parents. As usual, Scorpius was side-apparated by his father to the Malfoy Manor, where his things were immediately taken to his room by the house-elves, and they went straight to the dining room, where dinner was ready to be served. When he was little, he always thought it was a lot of fun to have such a big table when it was usually just three people to use it, and experimented different seats every time. Now they always sat together at one end, while he pretended to be interested in Draco's rumblings about work, and tried to balance giving enough details to satisfy their inquiries and keeping his privacy. Especially after he ran away three Christmases back, they were always very careful to make sure everything was fine with him, and much as he understood it, it was becoming more and more annoying as he got older.

"So, is everything alright at school?" His mother asked, halfway through the main course. As he was to take over his father's business one day, Draco thought he should always know how things were going, and had spent the first half of the meal putting him up to date.

"Yes, mom. Everything is fine." He smiled briefly at her, knowing it wouldn't be too convincing, and put some food in his mouth, so he wouldn't have to elaborate on that.

"How were your exams?" Draco asked.

"It was alright. Easier than I thought they'd be."

"Good. And Quidditch?"

"Well... That didn't go as well." He smiled, and Draco raised an eyebrow.

"How so, love?"

"Ravenclaw won this year." He commented with a smile that grew at his father's incredulity expression. "It was a bit of an accident, but..."

"Ravenclaw doesn't win. Nobody but Slytherin and Gryffindor win." Draco replied, shaking his head.

"Maybe in your time they didn't, but now they're a pretty strong team, dad."

"Nonsense." He replied, making Scorpius laugh.

"What about that friend of yours, love? Albus?"

"He's good." He smiled widely, and as much as he thought he was acting _natural_, his parents noticed he was always particularly happy when the boy was mentioned. And it made them happy as well, because they remembered all too well how tricky and deceiving people could be at school.

"And I assume we'll be seeing a lot of his this holiday as well?" Draco raised an eyebrow, making the other two smile.

"You bet."

They stayed quiet for the rest of the meal, and early the following morning Albus and him began forming what would be their routine for most of the next two months. He went over to the Potter's, and Harry seemed genuinely happy to see him - though him and Albus were the only ones -, and the boys shared their day between homework and a couple of games of chess, and during their holiday they would end up playing muggle chess against some people they met in the park in front of the house. It was always nice to have different challengers, and some of those people were actually really good.

A couple of months before their final exams, the boys were working on their Astronomy homework when they realized there would be an eclipse mid-July. It was an event that fascinated muggles, and was even more special for wizards. It concentrated a phenomenal amount of natural magic, making it a very favorable day for all sorts of enchantments and rituals. And even though they weren't planning either, it still had very palpable effects on wizards, recharging their magical cores, and they wanted to share that moment.

As they weren't sure what their parents would say about them staying outside - and awake - most of the night, they just told them they were having a sleepover at the Malfoy Manor, and spent most of the day finishing their summer homework, which was almost all done by then. They had a pleasant dinner with Scorpius's parents, and somehow they managed not to mention the lunar event that would take place later that night, as the subject wasn't brought up by either adult. They played a quick game of chess before retiring for the night, heading to the blond's room. Since the first night they'd slept in each other's houses, they shared a bed, so they both went to the blond's bedroom, and spent a couple of hours talking and trying not to fall asleep.

When it was almost time, they each grabbed a blanket and tiptoed outside, walking for several minutes into the yard until there was nothing that could obstruct their line of sight. They didn't see Draco and Astoria watching them from their room, whose lights were already out, smiling as they followed the boys with their eyes.

"Are you sure it's okay to let them do this?" Draco whispered.

"They'll be fine, dear." Astoria replied, holding his arm and resting one cheek on the side of his shoulder. "It's a warm night, and they're safe here."

"Don't you wish we could see it too?" He asked smiling, passing his arm around her shoulders and leaving a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"We had last time. Leave this one to them. It may be their only chance before girls start pulling them apart." She smiled at him before leaving a kiss on his lips and pulling him by the hand to the bed.

Outside, Scorpius put his blanket on the floor and the two of them laid down on it, with Albus's blanket to cover them and their arms as pillows.

"Not long to go now." The brunet smiled, looking briefly to his side before turning his eyes to the moon. The sky was clear and they could see a million stars around it.

"I know." Scorpius also smiled.

As the shadow of the Earth began moving over the moon, there was an instant and powerful surge of magic that had both boys become very quiet, almost in a trance, eyes fixated on what was happening. After long minutes, they managed to look at each other, not for more than a few seconds, and smile, understanding exactly how powerful all that was. And before they realized it, the moon was returning to its normal color, and they felt very tired, even if very fulfilled.

"That was awesome." Scorpius whispered, turning his head to the side and changing the arm he was lying on.

"It was." Albus replied, smiling before yawning. "Do you want to go back inside?" His voice had begun dragging a little.

"Can't we just have a nap before? I feel so exhausted. We could go back in the morning, couldn't we?" He also yawned, rolling completely to the side and watching the brunet do the same.

"Sounds like a good idea for me." He smiled, yawning again and closing his eyes.

Within a few minutes, Albus's breathing had become slower and shallower, and he had fallen asleep. But Scorpius felt very awake watching the other boy, and how his hair fell on his forehead, his light skin shining beautifully under the moonlight and his expression softened now he was completely relaxed. The night breeze played with the auburn locks, and the blond couldn't help reaching out to take it away from his eyes. His heart skipped a beat when the sleeping boy smiled into the caress, and it only took him a fraction of a section to understand all that had been going on.

He was in love.

Helplessly, deeply and completely in love.

With Albus.

Part of him wanted to panic over the new information, for so many reasons. Albus was his best friend, his only friend, the one person he trusted completely, and he couldn't help feeling he'd betrayed that trust by falling for him. Albus was also a boy, much like himself, and even though he'd never thought there was anything wrong with two men being together, he never thought of himself like that. And what was he going to do with his feelings? He felt sharing them would be an even bigger betrayal, imposing something so uncalled for on his friend. And by the way things had been progressing, he'd have to stand watching Albus get involved with other people, _girls_, and pretend to be happy about it, when just the memory of his two brief interactions with the opposite sex - one of which, completely imagined from the few details Albus had shared - were enough to break his heart.

But at least for that night, it was the other part of him that prevailed. The one relieved to finally understand why he was having such strong reactions to everything related to Albus, why the boy wouldn't leave his mind all day and why the chaste kiss his best friend had stolen from him had affected him so much. And if he could get past his worries, he felt great as never before. He was in love, and just the thought of Albus was enough to make him smile. And at that very moment, the boy was lying beside him, like an angel, and he got to spend most of his days by his side, watching him laugh, _making _him laugh, and it was enough for now.

Taking advantage of his slumber state, Scorpius allowed himself a little indulgence, running his hand softly through Albus's hair, his heart skipping a beat as the boy smiled again, before rolling to the other side. The blond boy smiled before allowing himself to fall asleep, his heart overflowing with happiness.

Scorpius was the first to wake up the next morning, and a wide smile spread through his lips almost immediately when he realized that, moving in his sleep, Albus had almost half of his body lying on him. The blond boy stood as still as he could, breathing very carefully not to disturb the brunet, and thinking he could get used to that feeling. Before he could stop himself, his thoughts went back to the kiss they'd shared, and his brain decided to take all the poetic license it could and improve on that memory, turning it into a fantasy Scorpius was still not ready to deal with. He shook his head strongly, to get rid of the images forming in his head, and inadvertently waking Albus up.

The brunet moaned, sleepy, rolling on his back and rubbing his eyes. Though he was a little upset to have lost contact, Scorpius was happy to witness such an adorable moment, and had to control himself not to give in to the urge of playing with Albus's hair again, or make some other kind of physical contact with him.

"Morning." Albus mumbled before yawning. He then sat up and stretched his limbs for a moment before looking over his shoulder to the blonde still lying down. "What are you so happy about?" He asked with a smile, staring curiously at him.

"Nothing in particular." He replied, also sitting up. The sun had just come up, and the cool breeze that hit them sent a shiver through his body, making him unconsciously rub his arms in an attempt to warm up.

"Are you cold?"

"Hm?"

"Cold. Are you cold? Wrap one of the blankets around your shoulders if you are."

"No, I'm good." He replied smiling again. They sat there for long moments in silence, still too sleepy to even move, before he shivered again and sneezed.

"You are cold. Don't be stubborn, you'll end up with the flu." Albus joked, getting up and throwing the blanked that was over them around his friend, who just stood still, almost in shock, smiling at him. "Come on. Your parents will wake up soon, and they better not go to your room and not find us there."

"I guess."

The stood up and walked back in silence, rubbing their eyes and yawning occasionally on their way. Once they made it to Scorpius's bedroom, they both fell on the boy's bed, still wrapped in the blankets, and went back to sleep almost immediately. A couple of hours later, a house-elf appeared to get them for breakfast, and they spent the rest of the day finishing their homework, feeling oddly inspired by the eclipse.

Later that night, after Albus had gone home, Scorpius was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling and smiling - as he would do one too many times in the weeks to come -, when his father knocked on his room. He sat up as Draco entered, and they both sat side by side on the couch, as the older Malfoy said he had something to talk to him about.

"So, how was the eclipse last night?" Draco asked teasingly with a smile, which grew as he saw his son blush.

"You knew about that?" He asked in a low voice, avoiding the matching silver eyes.

"Of course I did. Was it nice?"

"Yeah. It was alright."

"Good." He smiled again, and spent long moments analyzing the boy's expression in silence.

"So... that's what you wanted to talk about? You wanted me to know you knew?" He asked carefully.

"No, not really. Actually, we haven't mentioned it yet, but your mom is going to visit her family in a couple of days."

"Oh. Okay."

"And... You're going with her."

"What?" He asked, surprised. "What if I don't want to?"

"It's been quite a while since you last visited them, hasn't it? I think it would be nice if you did. And it's just for a few days, a week at most."

"A _week_?"

"Come on, Scorpius. It's not that bad. And you know your grandmother loves you, and resents not seeing you more often. Besides, I'm sure your cousins will be glad to see you as well. And it'll be fun to do something different for a change. The only place you ever go to is Hogwarts and Potter's house."

"But dad-"

"I'm sorry, Scorpius, but it's not really up for discussion."

"But dad-"

"Please have your things ready to go. You'll Floo there after breakfast, and be nice to your mother's family, okay?"

"I don't want to go." He stated firmly.

"You're going anyway. You haven't been there in what, five years? They may not like me, but you're still family. You owe them that much." He replied decisively, standing up.

"Why don't they like you?" He asked as the man made his way to the door.

"You know why. The war and everything Lucius and I did."

"Then shouldn't they hate me as well?"

Draco smiled, turning around and walking to where the boy was still sitting. "I know you don't really want to go. I can understand it. But it would mean the world to your mom, Scorpius." He messed the blond's hair, and the boy made a face. "So be a good boy, okay?"

"Fine, dad." He mumbled, dodging the hand still on his head. His father could try to reason with him, he could try complaining, but in the end of the day, he knew he'd end up going anyway, and more or less by his own choice.

He spent the rest of the night entertained in his own thoughts, most of them about Albus and his newly-discovered feelings, trying to avoid thinking about how boring and tragic it would be to spend a whole week away from him. He fell asleep without noticing it, still in his day clothes. When he woke up, he realized someone had put a blanket on him, and he remembered vaguely being cold at some point during the night. Stretching lazily, he did his morning ablutions before heading for the dining room, where breakfast was being served.

"So you dad said you'll come with me tomorrow. I'm really glad, love." His mom said with as smile, as he reached out to grab a toast.

"Sure, mom." He replied taking a bite and filling his mug with fresh coffee. "I'm still going over to Al's today, though."

"But you have to pack, don't you? You'll be home early, then?" She asked curiously.

"It'll only take a few minutes to pack. Don't worry about it."

"Still, don't come home too late, okay? You should be well-rested before going."

"Yes, dad." He replied, trying not to sound too bored on insolent.

He arrived at the Potter's short after that, and Harry and James were still at the table. One greeted him with a smile and the other frowned at him, but he was polite to both just the same before going upstairs to find Albus lying on his bed, reading. He stood in silence at the door for a few moments, just watching the brunet, before being noticed.

"Hey!" Albus said with a smile, sitting up and putting the book away.

"Hi." He smiled back, entering the room and taking the desk chair.

"You haven't brought your stuff." He noticed, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, there's only that Potions' essay to finish, so I thought we could do something different for a change?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Honestly?" He asked, and the other boy nodded. "I have no clue." He stuck out his tongue, and Albus smiled.

"Sounds like fun." They stayed in silence for a few minutes, their eyes running around the room distractedly.

"I'm going to France tomorrow." He said quietly.

"Just like that? Out of the blue?"

"Well, apparently they had it planned for a while, but forgot to tell me." He stuck his tongue out, and the other boy giggled.

"How long you'll be gone for?"

"A week, I think."

"Sounds fun."

"Trust me, it won't be. I hate going there. I never understand anything they're saying, all my cousins are terribly annoying, and most of what I have to listen to is how my dad is a bad person and did bad things and I've got to be a better man than him." He complained, and Albus's smile grew.

"Sounds fun." He repeated, getting himself a punch in the arm. "It's going to be boring without you around, though."

"I'll say."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Scorpius didn't actually sleep the night before going to France. He took a few brief naps, but his brain seemed decided to think everything it could while he was still in the country, preferably while he tried to rest. He smiled at himself thinking how easy it would be to sleep if he had a certain brunet passed out beside him - Albus always fell asleep before him, and slept so deeply it was even pleasing to watch. And honestly, the boy was most of what he thought about, replaying memories, imagining things they could do together - if only he could take his best friend with him! But he knew the French side of the family wasn't really receptive to... Well, pretty much everything -and pretending he was there, with him, the way he'd just begun wishing for.

A house-elf showed up in his room when it was time for breakfast, and left with his already packed bag. He sighed, rubbing his tired eyes and yawning as he made his way to the dining room. Both his parents were already there, talking about whatever they always talked about - he'd wondered many times before how come they never ran out of subjects to discuss, not realizing the same happened between Albus and himself -, and greeted him with a smile as he sat down, pouring down a nice, steaming cup of coffee before even thinking about anything else.

"Didn't you sleep well, love?" His mother asked, frowning slightly at him. "You look tired."

"I'm okay." He replied with a smile.

"Good." His father nodded briefly. "You'll be staying with your aunt Daphne, I don't know if you remember her. "

"Vaguely."

"Very well. I expect you to be in your best behavior. And be nice to your cousins, all of them. I believe one or two are about your age, so it shouldn't be too hard to get along with them."

"Don't worry, dad." He smiled, and Draco seemed to relax a little, smiling back. His strict upbringing still made him worry a little too much with appearances, and it also often meant he forgot Scorpius could be trusted to honor the family name. It wasn't at all that he didn't trust his son with that, but it was all the parenting he knew, and much as he tried to change, old habits die hard.

Draco walked them to the fireplace and they briefly bid their farewells before entering the raging green flames and, after a slightly longer interval than usually, they arrived in his aunt's house. The bags sent before them were at their feet, and Scorpius looked around curiously, almost remembering the place, as if the last time he'd seen it had been in a dream. Moments later, they heard the noise of excited people and he saw a woman - who he recognized as his aunt, though she looked much older than he remembered -, two teenagers and a younger boy enter the room.

The two women immediately hugged each other, expressing how much they missed one another, while Scorpius carefully studied the other people in the room, who did the exact same thing to him. After what seemed like an eternity, his mother seemed to remember he was also there, and pushed him forward by the shoulder. He was greeted with a kiss on each cheek, and did his best to smile and look nice, which was harder than he thought it would be.

"Love, do you remember your aunt?"

"You've grown so much, Scorpius! You're a man already!" Daphne held him by the shoulders, running her eyes up and down his figure.

"Thank you." He replied with another forced smile.

"Oh, and I'm sure you remember my daughters, Anne-Marie and Sophie." She let go of him and pulled the girls closer. They also greeted him with a peck on each cheek, and the first thing that ran through his mind was if the boy was going to do that as well. Or even worse, his aunt's husband. And he was a little surprised - though he shouldn't have been - when the thought that Albus was the only one he wanted to do that ran through his mind.

"Hi." He said shyly when the girls pulled away. The oldest one, Anne-Marie, was 16, with long blond hair and just as tall as him. The other one was 13, and considerably shorter, also with blond hair, but in a much darker tone. The boy, he would find out later that day, was just nine, even though he wasn't much shorter than Scorpius himself, and had light brown hair and matching-colored eyes.

"And this is my nephew Jean-Luc. He's Jacques son, my husband's brother."

And as he imagined, the boy also kissed him on both cheeks.

Not only that felt extremely uncomfortable for him, it also felt very personal, and he wondered if it would happen every time they met anyone. Because four people was already as much as he could take.

"Now, don't just stand there! Let me take you to your rooms." Daphne said with a smile, guiding them out of the room.

They had arrived in a large living room, decorated with vintage furniture, as one would expect in a traditional French mansion. They then went to the hall where there were beautiful white marble stairs leading to the second floor, where they would both be staying. The hallway extended both ways, and their rooms, beside one another, were on the left. The room assigned to Scorpius wasn't as large as his own, consisting only of a large bed, a wardrobe and his own private bathroom, but it was more than enough for him. It wasn't too decorated, the walls painted baby blue being the only color other than the browns of the wooden furniture.

He didn't have much time to settle in, for within minutes Jean-Luc had appeared in his room saying they were waiting for him downstairs. For most of the morning, he had to endure the most boring conversation he'd ever been made to listen to, and answer the typical questions from relatives one doesn't see too often: how school was going, what were his favorite subjects, how was Quidditch, did he have a girlfriend yet. He'd never minded replying bluntly to the last question, as annoying as it was, but it suddenly made him feel very uncomfortable and even a little angry that they would assume if he we was seeing someone, if he liked someone, it would have to be a _girl_.

They were served lunch in a luxurious dining room, with a feast enough to feed at least ten people. The two girls kept whispering in each other's ears, pointing at him and giggling, which made the little patience he had almost evaporate, and the blond chose to focus very much on the food in his plate. Which he wasn't too sure was a great idea, considering he couldn't identify almost half of what he'd been served.

After a short while to rest, the little boy invited him to play outside, and given his options, he was more than glad to accept. He borrowed a broom and they flew and chased each other for a while, but Jean-Luc wasn't too skilled a pilot, and as much fun as the younger boy was having, Scorpius couldn't help being bored. His thoughts then turned back to Albus - and it was a surprised it hadn't happened in, well, almost an hour, and the few times the two of them had played around with their brooms. Even if his best friend wasn't too fond of it, he was a great pilot, and it was far more entertaining to do that with him.

In his distraction, he let himself be caught just as the two girls walked outside, and they then proceeded to mock him with their strong accents and poor English. Jean-Luc tried to smile at him, to tell him it was just a joke, that he shouldn't take them seriously, but the determinate look he saw in the silver eyes were enough for him to fly away from Scorpius as far and as fast as he could. The blond was determinate to make the girls eat their words, and launched forward as fast as he could, purposefully passing just above their heads, close enough for the bristles to brush their hair and make them scream loudly, putting a smile on his face, before he practically yanked the other boy from his broom, letting go just in time for him to hold on to the shaft as if his life depended on it.

"I'm done with this game." He announced loudly before landing softly, elegantly walking to the closet where the brooms were stored and walking back inside.

"Is everything alright, love?" His mother asked as he walked past the living room, where her and his aunt were sitting.

"We heard screaming." Daphne explained.

"Everything is just fine, don't worry." He gave them the signature Malfoy smile, which made his aunt almost embarrassed to have asked anything at all - as happened to most people - and his mother put all her efforts into not bursting into laughter, because that smile often meant he'd put someone back on their rightful place. And by the way her nieces had been acting, she knew exactly who it'd been.

"Adrien will be home by tea time, love, so make sure you're back down in time, okay?"

"I most certainly will, mom." He smiled kindly at her, who was still a little flustered. "Now if you'll excuse me." He turned his smile to the other woman before taking the stairs up to his room.

The door had barely closed behind him before he fell on the bed with a sigh. That week would be from hell. And it didn't help that we was becoming more and more aware of just how much it hurt to be away from Albus.

* * *

Scorpius soon learned that Adrien was by far the nicest person he'd meet the whole trip. Despite his family's behavior, he was a very modern guy, always smiling and excited about something, very bright and open-minded. The two of them engaged in a chess game after dinner that lasted almost two hours, and for once he didn't have to reply to the same questions he always did. With his strong accent, he discussed the international Quidditch cup with the blond boy for a long time, the two of them arguing which had been the best plays so far, before moving on to the equipment used by each team and how it affected their performance.

The second day in France was filled with sight-seeing, and endless teasing from both teenage girls. He tried to stick with the grown-ups and not pay attention to them, but it wasn't at all an easy task. To make matters worse, Jean-Luc had returned home, and, due to their age proximity, he was expected to hang out with his cousins. They had lunch at a very elegant restaurant, and then went souvenir-shopping. At least then the girls gave him a break, being more interested in the clothes and objects they were seeing, even if it bored the blond boy to death. Again, he got to play chess and have some actually interesting conversation after dinner, once Adrien was home from work, and he quickly realized that would be by far the best part of his day.

The following day, he was woken up rather early by a house-elf - it wasn't even eight in the morning yet, and he was on holiday! -, and right after breakfast, they took the Floo to his grandmother's country house, where she was currently staying. It was a large property, with some animals the old woman never saw, some employees to care for them and some house-elves to run the house. It made Scorpius wonder what the woman did all day, then. He didn't remember her, but she seemed to remember him all too well, and pulled him into an embrace like only old relatives can, squeezing the air out of his lungs while he tried his best to smile politely and wait to be released.

The morning was once again filled with some boring chatter, and an early lunch meant he was finally free to go out and explore - code for finally getting some time alone. He'd wanted to do a broom recognition of the place first, but unbelievably there were none available at the house, and he had to settle for going on foot. He walked for over an hour until he found a nice tree that provided a much-needed fresh shade, so he climbed a couple of branches up and laid on his back, closing his eyes and remembering the times he'd done similar things with Albus.

The constant thinking about the brunet no longer bothered him, now he understood it, and simply made him happy. He couldn't help but smile every time he pictured those very green eyes smiling at him, or imagined the sound of his voice telling him something completely stupid and genius at the same time. He only realized he'd fallen asleep when he woke up from a dream in which he was the one stealing a kiss from Albus under the tree in Hogsmeade, and though awake, he allowed himself to just stay there, smiling at the feeling still fresh in his mind.

"Scorpius has a girlfriend!"

"Scorpius is in love!"

He heard his cousins chanting from a few feet away, where they stood giggling at him. He took a deep breath before turning his head to them, looking very unsatisfied.

"Our little cousin has a girlfriend, Sophie!" The oldest girl repeated, and they both laughed even louder. "Isn't it adorable?"

"Who is she, Scorpius? A girl in your class, I think?"

"Just shut up and leave me alone, won't you?" He replied coldly, resting on the back of his head again and closing his eyes.

"Oh, you don't have to be shy! You can tell us!"

"We promise we'll keep your secret safe!"

He shot one of his best killer looks at them.

"Oh! Somebody is angry, Ann!"

"He thought we wouldn't find out about it!"

"Well... I think that, if he doesn't tell us who it is, we'll have to tell his mom, don't you think?"

"Oh, I'm afraid you're right, Sophie!"

He took a very, very deep breath before sitting up, his feet dangling softly in the air. "My life is none of your business. You don't know me, I don't know you, and I'm perfectly happy with that. If I had a choice, I wouldn't have come, but since I'm here, you could at least show me the courtesy of leaving me alone when I ask to. And I'm asking right now. And for the rest of the time we stay here."

They looked at each other, understanding the general meaning of what he said, but not every last word. They seemed to ponder for a moment what to do, talking in French so Scorpius wouldn't understand, before turning back to him. "You really should be nicer to us, Scorpius. You are staying at our house after all." Anne-Marie finally said, both of them looking serious and disapproving, as if he was a little boy who'd been naughty and was being reprimanded by his mother, which made him roll his eyes.

"And you know that means if you're not nice to us, we can make your life hell."

"Go ahead and try. See if I care." He said, jumping down and waking away from them.

The boy walked for over half an hour in the opposite direction the girls came from, entertained in his own thoughts. At the first moment, he was angry, very angry, at their intromission and general attitude. It was becoming harder by the second to be nice to them and keep the perfect Malfoy politesse. Then he began worrying if it was really that easy to tell he was in love. His parents hadn't said anything, nor did Albus, but it wasn't like he'd been around either too much. What if other people could also tell? What if everybody at school found out? Worse, what if _Albus_ found out? And because of that decided they couldn't be friends anymore, and stopped talking to him, and asked to be moved to Gryffindor with his siblings and cousins and-

He shook his head hard to stop the train of thought that was running wilder and wilder. The girls had caught him off-guard, that's how they could tell. He'd just have to be more careful in the future. And even if people found out... His parents, Albus, the other students... He had it under control, and it wouldn't be more than a one-sided feeling that would wear out soon enough. Or so he believed, because the alternative was a thousand times more terrifying.

The sun was already setting when he headed back to the house, a large, two-story high building, also looking at least a couple of centuries old, with apparent bricks on the outside and balconies on every window. He found everybody else in the living room talking and having tea - nothing like good, old British habits -, and his grandmother seemed genuinely concerned about him, for staying outside for so long. As if the "wild outdoors" were so dangerous. After reassuring her half a dozen times that he was fine, he noticed the two girls once again whispering back and forth, looking at him, but this time frowning instead of giggling. He rolled his eyes again, taking a seat beside his mother and helping himself to the tea and some biscuits.

As tired as he claimed to be, they had to stay for dinner, and only after that they returned to his aunt's house. He went straight to his room, locked the door and fell on his bed, just staying there for ten or fifteen minutes, staring at the ceiling and trying to relax. As he began feeling sleepy, he decided to take a nice hot bath before going to bed, and groaned quietly as he got up. Over half an hour later, he was comfortably under the covers and with his mind absolutely made up: he was going home the next day, and nobody would stop him.

The house-elf showed up to wake him at an ungodly hour again, and knowing his mother wouldn't let him do as he pleased, he told the small creature he wasn't feeling well and wouldn't go down for breakfast. That immediately got his mother on his bedside, and though she tried refusing to leave him - they'd planned some sight-seeing for that day -, he assured her it was nothing serious, and he just needed to rest. Astoria left him hesitantly, and he was more than glad to have another couple of hours to sleep.

When he woke up again, the sun was shining brightly through the window, and the first thing he noticed was his raging stomach begging for some food. He smiled at that as he got up, headed for the bathroom. It took him quite a few minutes to find the house's kitchen, and another five or so to get the elves to understand what he wanted for breakfast - their English level was even worse than his cousins' -, but at last he was able to have something to eat. Once he was done, he returned to his room to pack up - which would only take a couple of minutes -, when one of the two people he least wanted to see entered his room unannounced.

"What are you doing?" Anne-Marie asked from the door, looking reprovingly at him. He didn't even bother acknowledging her presence, putting a pile of shirts into his suitcase. "I asked you what are you doing, you rude boy!"

"As I've said before, my life is none of your business, so get out." He replied without looking at her.

"You are in my house, Scorpius, you can't tell _me_ what to do."

"Well, then just stay there." He mumbled, walking around the room and into the bathroom to make sure none of his things were left behind.

"Does your mother know about this?" She asked with that superiority air he hated so much. "You're running away, then?" She continued when there was no answer. "You'll be in big trouble, Scorpius. And I'll tell her how I tried to keep you here, and how mean you were to me." He grabbed his suitcase and headed for the door, but she didn't let him through. "I'll make sure you're punished for the rest of your life." She whispered to him as he pushed past her.

When he reached the living room from where he knew he could Floo home, he called the only house-elf whose name he knew and asked for a piece of parchment and a quill, on which he dashed out a short note:

_"Dear mom,_

_You don't have to worry about me. I'm not running away again, I'm just going home._

_Love,_

_Scorpius"_

and instructed him to deliver it only to his mother. Ignoring the teenage girl still complaining behind him, he put his hand in the Floo powder pot on the mantelpiece and happily entered the green flames, arriving shortly in the Malfoy Manor. He was welcomed by one of the elves, who seemed as surprised as he was nervous and even terrified to see him. He frowned at the creature for a moment, handing over his suitcase.

"Where is my dad?"

"Master Malfoy is, well, he is-"

He raised an eyebrow. "It's a simple question. Where is my father?"

"M-Master Malfoy i-is not home, Young Master." The small creature couldn't stop shaking, and Scorpius couldn't help finding that suspicious.

"Is that true?"

"Y-Yes, Young Master."

"And where is he, then?"

"Barre is not allowed to say, Young Master."

"Not allowed?" He raised his eyebrow again, staring intently at the elf cowering in front of him. Then he shook his head hard. "Never mind. If he comes back before me, just tell him I'm at Al's, okay?"

"Yes, Young Master." Barre bowed, his long ears touching the floor.

"That would be all." He replied, and waited a moment before entering the fireplace again. When he arrived at the study of Grimmauld Place, it was deserted. He walked out to the hallway and into the kitchen. "Hello? Is anyone home?" He asked out loud. "Albus? Mr. Potter? Mrs. Potter?" He called as he made his way upstairs, but there was no reply. "Guess no one's home." He whispered to himself, entering Albus's room.

He looked through some of his friend's things, all of which he knew very well, before throwing himself on the boy's bed. He hadn't thought about it, but now he was lying there, he could smell the brunet's characteristic perfume he loved so much, and a smile spread through his lips. A voice in the back of his head told him he should start working on covering it up, beginning with controlling his smile, but he replied he was all alone, thank you very much. After a few minutes, he grabbed the book sitting on the nightstand and began reading it, not all too interested. Before he realized it, he was asleep again.

* * *

The Potters returned home after a long lunch at the Burrow, to which most of the family had been invited. Albus was feeling a little tired of all the socializing, and specially all the plotting James always seemed to be doing against him every time he was together with their cousin Fred. He went straight to his bedroom, ready to spend some time alone reading his new book, and found more than he was looking for.

"Scorp!" He said loudly before he could refrain himself, but from the smile on the blond's face, he knew the blond wasn't mad for being woken up. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in France or something!"

"Well, let's say I didn't adjust." They smiled at each other.

"I'm glad to see you. Even though it's only been a few days, I really missed you." He said, sitting beside the boy whose heart was doing back flips. "You found my book." He smiled again. "Interesting, isn't it?"

"I don't think I can say that, Al. I did fall asleep reading it, you know..." He joked, getting a punch on the arm in return.

"Shut up..."

"Hey, Al, can I borrow-" James began asking as he walked to his brother's room, but stopped on his tracks as he saw the blond. "What the hell is _he_ doing here?"

"Came to visit me." Albus replied with a smile, unaffected by his brother's tone, which just made the oldest Potter boy even angrier.

"We just arrived. Which means he was here before us. He was breaking in, is what he was doing. And I thought I'd finally get a few days without seeing his ugly face, wasn't it?"

"Oh, shut up, James. Just get whatever you came from and leave us alone."

"Never mind that." James mumbled, walking away. As they would find out, to tell his parents about their 'guest'.

"Hey, Scorpius. How was France?" Harry asked, popping his head inside the room and smiling.

"Not as good as I'd hoped for, Mr. Potter." The boy replied with a smile.

"Shame. Are you staying for dinner?"

"If it's not too much trouble, yes, I'd like to."

"Oh, no problem at all." Harry smiled again before walking away. When he arrived in the kitchen to let the elves know about their guest, Ginny seemed very unhappy about the whole situation.

"How did he get in, Harry? We have tons of protective spells. We weren't even _warned_ there was someone in our house!"

He frowned at her for a moment, trying to understand her reaction. Then he smiled. "I forgot to tell you! I authorized Scorpius as a member of the family."

"And why on Merlin's name would you do that?"

"I thought that way he could come here even if we weren't home, in case he ran away again. At least he'd have somewhere safe to go to."

"And it never occurred to you to at least _consult_ me about that?"

"I didn't think it was a big deal, Gin."

She sighed. "After all this time, you still haven't learned the first thing about me, have you, Harry?"

"What is it this time?" He asked tiredly. With the kids at school, they were discussing a lot more than they had before, constantly turning little frictions into great arguments.

"You know I don't like that boy. But that's fine. Albus has chosen him as a best friend, and I accept that. And it doesn't even bother me that much that he can come and go as he pleases from our house, though I'm sure the same courtesy is not extended to our son at the Malfoy Manor." Harry rolled his eyes, making the redhead snort. "But I hate that you think you can make all the big decisions about _our_ life without me. You keep forgetting I'm also the head of this family, and that my opinion matters here!"

"Shh, Gin, the kids are home!" He urged her. "And it's not that it doesn't matter, of course it does!"

"Then why do you keep going over my head and deciding things on your own?"

"Because sometimes things need to be decided and there's no time for discussion. Other times, I just don't think they're a big deal and worth bothering you with. And finally, sometimes you just can't be reasonable, and I have to do what's best for us, regardless of personal feelings."

"No, Harry, you just think you always know better, and that it gives you the right to decide everything for everybody else. But the world doesn't turn around you, golden boy!"

"Don't you start with that again! I-"

"Mom? Dad?" Lily called from the kitchen door, being attracted by the loud voices. Both boys were too entertained upstairs to hear them. "Is everything okay?"

"Of course it is, honey." Harry smiled at the girl, putting an arm around her.

"Then why were you yelling at each other?"

"We weren't yelling. We just got a little carried away. There are some things we feel very strongly about, that's all." Ginny tried to comfort her, but she obviously didn't believe them.

"Is it about Scorpius again? That boy has been nothing but trouble for us, since he and Albus became friends."

"That is not true, Lily. And we weren't even talking about him, okay?"

"Promise?"

"Promise." Harry smiled, pushing her out of the kitchen. "Why don't you show me your school work? You said you had it all done, didn't you?"

"I have, dad!" She smiled.

"You go, and I'll be right behind you." He encouraged, watching her run out of the kitchen and up the stairs, following her at a slower pace.

"We're not done with this, Harry." Ginny said as he walked out.

"I know." He stated firmly, walking away. She never saw the exhausted sigh he released at the bottom of the stairs, wondering when things had gone so wrong for them.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

Astoria was very surprised to come home to find only the note Scorpius left her, and though he said he hadn't run away, her ever-concerned mother's heart would not be put at rest until she saw it with her own eyes. Nobody opposed her immediate return to the Malfoy Manor, where she arrived short before dinner, to find Draco and _a friend_ sitting in the living room, the brunet man lying against the blond's chest. She cleared her throat as she entered the room, getting both men's attention, and while the stranger jumped up and started looking for his shirt - which had been carelessly left over an armchair - and began excusing himself, Draco merely smiled at his wife, lazily getting up and finishing his Firewhisky.

"Kev, you don't have to run." He said in an amused tone, holding the still shirtless man by the arm and kissing his lips briefly, making him blush. "This is my wife, Astoria. Honey, this is Kevin." He introduced, and the woman smiled kindly, trying not to laugh at the man's embarrassment. She'd been in that position far too many times to be embarrassed herself.

"How do you do, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"How do you do?" She replied before turning back to the blond man. "I have to talk to you, Draco."

"Uh, sure." He frowned slightly before looking at the man he was still holding. "Think you can find your way to your bedroom?" The man nodded, quickly leaving the room, seeming very relieved. "I thought you'd be gone for at least a few more days." He said, pouring himself another dose of Firewhisky.

"I was. I am. I- It's not the point. The point is, Scorpius hated it there, and earlier today decided to come home on his own."

"Did he?" Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes. He pretended to be sick, and returned while we were away. I just wanted to make sure he's alright."

He frowned a little, working his memory. "Well, I haven't seen him yet."

"Really?" It was her turn to raise her eyebrows.

"Yes, well, I was, you know, busy. And I've ordered the elves to say I was out- The elves! Maybe they know something!" He called all the house-elves that worked in the house - which wasn't too short a list - and had them line up before him. One or two had belonged to his father, and had spread stories about the "old days", so most of them were trembling slightly in fear. "I am not angry at any of you. I was just wondering if any of you saw my son today?"

The small creatures looked at one another for a minute, before one of them volunteered the information. "Barre has seen Young Master, Master Malfoy."

"And?" He asked expectantly, and by habit his tone sounded very threatening, making the elf cower and him roll his eyes.

"Y-Young Master arrived at lunchtime with all his belongings. And has asked Barre to tell Master Malfoy that he'd gone to his friend's house if Master Malfoy returned before him."

"And why haven't you said anything?" He demanded, a little exasperated.

"M-Master Malfoy has asked the elves not to disturb for any reason while Master is with the guest." Barre muttered, shaking even harder.

"That would've been an exception, you stupid creature." He complained, sighing. "Very well. You're all dismissed." All the elves instantly disappeared. "It seems he arrived well. Nothing to worry about."

Astoria smiled. "I'm relieved. I was afraid my family had scared him and he'd run away again."

"That bad, huh?" He asked with a playful smiled, making her giggle.

"My nieces are little brats. And they're my nieces." She replied. "They wouldn't leave him alone, teasing him all the time. Besides, there wasn't much for him to do there anyway."

"I suppose it wasn't our best idea to have him join you, then."

"I guess not." They smiled at each other again. "What do you want to do about it, though?"

"Well, Kevin's come all the way from Canada, and he's got nowhere else to stay."

"Where did you even meet him?" She asked.

"He's a friend of a friend."

"Right." She replied, raising a doubtful eyebrow. "But what about Scorpius? I don't think either of us can convince him to go back."

"He'll stay then." He replied with a shrug. "I'll introduce Kev as a friend. Besides, he'll be busy with Albus most of the time, so I don't think it'll be a problem." She nodded. "What about you? Are you staying or going back?"

"I think I'll go back." She smiled. "I've just met someone interesting, and now I won't feel guilty about disappearing."

He smiled naughtily, raising an eyebrow. "Someone I'd like to meet as well?"

"Oh, shut up, you have your own already." They laughed.

"Will you wait for him to return? You'd be welcome to join us for dinner."

"I think your friend's been embarrassed enough. And now I know Scorpius is safe, I can go back. But do let him know I'm not in the least satisfied." She smiled.

"Don't worry about him." He replied, leaving a peck on her lips and watching her walk into the green flames before heading to bedroom. He still wanted some play time before heading to the dining room.

* * *

Dinner at the Potters was a little tense, but Scorpius barely noticed it while he tried to quiet his raging stomach. Having skipped lunch, he was starving when he finally sat down at the table, and for anyone watching, it was even pleasurable to see how much he was enjoying the food. Once they were done eating, he bid their farewells and Albus took him to the fireplace and waited for him to disappear before leaving for his own room.

When he arrived home, he found his dad and some man he didn't know still sitting at the table, finishing their desserts, talking and laughing. "I'm home, dad!" He called out as he made his way into the room.

"Hi, son." Draco smiled at him. "I'd like you to meet somebody. This is my friend Kevin. Kev, this is my son, Scorpius." The two waved quietly at each other, smiling shyly. "He's going to stay with us for a few days, okay?" The boy shrugged. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"Yes, I ate at Al's."

"Good."

"Well... Good night, then." He said, turning around and leaving for his room.

"Wait up, Scorpius!" His father called, and he turned around. "You know you can't keep doing that, you know."

"Doing what?"

"Running away."

"Well, technically, since I was coming _home_, I wasn't running away." He said with a smirk, making both older men smile as well.

"What I meant was, you left without telling anyone."

"If I told mom, she wouldn't have let me come back. And Anne-Marie knew."

"Your cousin didn't say anything. And your mother was worried. You have to stop doing that."

"Okay, dad. I will."

"Very well. Good night, then."

Scorpius nodded, and turned around quietly, smiling. He knew his parents weren't really mad at him, and felt very good to be back home, and having spent the day with Albus. He was still smiling when he fell asleep, his thoughts still on the brunet boy.

Quickly, their holiday routine was reestablished, and they spent most of their days together, often playing chess or with their brooms outside - it seemed the Potter boy was finally beginning to enjoy flying -, but it wasn't rare either that they just sat in one of their rooms, each reading a different book. It was enough to spend time around Albus, and do all the little things he could do without raising suspicion: he always made sure his knees or shoulders touched the brunet's when they sat side by side, the back of their hands grazed against one another when they walked, he always made sure the elves always cooked Albus his favorite foods and always had little treats for the boy. Either Albus was really clueless - as was Scorpius, thinking he was being fairly discreet; it was, after all, the first time he attempted to flirt - or not flirt - with someone -, or he really didn't mind. Either way, the blond couldn't be happier.

For Albus's birthday, this year, they'd be holding a massive party at the Burrow - with the whole family and extended family present -, and he'd been invited, and made promise he'd be there. The day was approaching quickly, and he still hadn't mentioned it to his father or bought his friend anything. This time he was considering an advanced potions set, as they both were very into the subject, and his friend probably already had plenty of books and chess sets.

"It's Albus's birthday next week." He said one day at dinner, as they quietly enjoyed their desserts.

"Oh. That's nice. Wish him a happy birthday on my behalf, then." Draco smiled at him. "I'd do it myself, but I'll probably forget the day, and I'm sure he'll be celebrating with those redheads in his family, so he won't show up."

"The same goes for me, love." His mother smiled as well.

"Yeah, well, he said there'd be a big party at the Burrow."

"And?" Draco raised an eyebrow, foreseeing what the boy was about to say.

"He invited me. He made me promise I'd be there."

"I don't want you around those people, Scorpius. And that's final."

"Why not, dad?" He asked, his voice going higher in frustration.

"I don't believe they're a good influence, and you know that. Not to mention I don't believe for a moment you'd be welcome there, so I'm doing both families a service."

"It's not true! Albus wants me there, and Mr. Potter as well."

"That's two out of how many again? Too many to keep count, that's for sure."

"Draco, honey, maybe we should reconsider this."

"No, we shouldn't. I'm not risking my son's safety and welfare over a stupid birthday party." He said in a conclusive tone. "Tell him he's welcome to visit us whenever he wants, and we can have the elves bake him a cake or something, but you're staying here."

"They can't be that bad, dad!"

"Yes, they can. Isn't Albus's brother bad enough? Imagine that multiplied by a thousand."

"I don't care, dad. I promised Al I'd go, and I will!"

"You'll run away again, is that what you're saying?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No." Astoria said firmly, and Draco turned his eyes to her, surprised. "Because I'm giving him permission to go." Scorpius smiled, while his father's eyes opened wide. The woman's expression softened before she continued. "I understand you have a great dislike for the Weasleys, Draco, and even for the Potters and the other families related to them. I know what it was like during school, and during the war. But things have changed. And you can't keep your son from having good times, meeting new people, having possibly extraordinary experiences just because you and Potter and Weasley were school enemies. I'm not going to let you."

Draco's mouth opened and closed a few times, as he tried to decide which was the best way to respond to that. After a couple of minutes, he finally seemed to decide. "I don't like you defying me like that, Astoria. You don't know those people, you don't know what they're capable of. Especially those kids, that James and his older cousins. I've heard plenty of how vicious their pranks can be, and I don't want my son to fall victim to one of them."

"I won't, dad! I promise I'll be careful!" He urged.

"However, I think you're right. Scorpius isn't me, I'm not my dad, and Albus certainly isn't anything like his family." He turned to the boy. "You're old enough to defend yourself now." Scorpius nodded vehemently. "I won't say I like it, but it's something I know you want to do. And you need to make your own mistakes." The boy's smile grew, and Draco couldn't help his own lips curling up as well. "I believe there will be enough adults with the minimum common sense not to let things go out of hand. But if anything happens, anything at all, I want you to come home immediately, you hear me?"

"Yes, dad." He said with a large smile that would warm anybody's heart. "I promise."

"Fine, then." Draco replied, trying to keep serious, but smiling a second later.

"You need to get him something, though, don't you, love?"

"Yes, mom."

"Have anything in mind?"

"Actually, I do." For the next few minutes, Scorpius and his mom planned their little shopping trip to Diagon Alley - which would invariably include a stop at Madam Malkins for some new clothes -, before he excused himself and went back to his room, unable to stop smiling. It'd been easier than he thought it would be, and he couldn't be happier.

* * *

Scorpius arrived at the Potter household a few minutes before they were scheduled to depart for the Burrow - another precaution taken by Draco, who'd spent a good couple of hours making Harry promise to take care of his son during the party, and take personal responsibility if anything happened -, and with his frequent visits, James didn't even bother teasing him anymore, choosing to completely ignore him instead.

"Okay, you go first, Al, then Scorpius can follow you, and I'll be last." Harry said, once the other three had already disappeared into the green flames.

The boys nodded and did as they were instructed. When he arrived at the other side, Scorpius found Albus being group-hugged by an ocean of red hair, and took a step back, intimidated. Soon Harry was there too, greeting everybody, and for the first few minutes, it seemed the blond boy had been completely forgotten. Then the brunet suddenly remembered him, squirming to get away from all the arms around him - it didn't matter how many people congratulated him, they kept coming, as if they'd never end - and pulled him towards all the people who were looking at him like he didn't belong there, and didn't even want him to. He suddenly felt it would be better to go back to being ignored again.

"Okay, so everybody, this is Scorpius. Scorp, this is my uncle Ron, my uncle George..."

It actually took several minutes for everybody to be introduced, and most of the familiar faces - people he knew from school - didn't seem all too happy to see him. Except for Frank and his parents, who were very nice to him, even if Luna made him a little hesitant with her choice of subjects for conversation, and a very nice young man called Teddy, who almost instantly got Scorpius's admiration, especially after he found out, later that day, that they were actually related to one another. As the other guests were practically forced by the birthday boy to acknowledge him, they moved away so others could come, and soon most of them were outside, sitting by improvised tables watching the children run around. Well, apparently, all the children under fifty or something.

Just as he thought they'd met everybody - it certainly felt like he had, how big could that family be? He'd heard there were many of them, but reality had overcome all his expectations -, he was dragged to the kitchen, where Ginny, Hermione and Molly were working on the last preparations for the party. He greeted the brunette woman politely, who replied likewise, before he turned to the older redhead woman.

"Scorp, this is my grandma." Albus explained as they approached Molly, who seemed to be going crazy in the kitchen, pans in all the burners, the oven packed and too many things in not enough counter space.

"Hm, hello, Mrs. Weasley." He said politely.

Molly turned to him after a moment, cleaning her hands on the apron tied around her waist. She then grabbed the boy's chin, turning his face to one side, then to the other, analyzing him carefully. Scorpius held his breath nervously, looking at the brunet boy from the corner of his eyes. "You resemble your father a lot. But you look much better than he ever did." She stated finally, letting him go, but still looking very thoughtful. "You're very skinny, though. Are you sure your parents give you enough to eat, boy?"

"Uh, yes, ma'am." He replied, still very nervous.

She looked at him for another minute, before smiling briefly and turning back to her pans. "Very well, then. Off you go. Out of my kitchen, you two." She said smiling at them again, pushing them lightly out the back door.

For the first hour or so, Albus dragged Scorpius around as he talked to different people, because they both knew that, otherwise, he'd be practically abandoned in a corner. But as always happened when the Weasleys got together, soon they'd organized a Quidditch game, and somehow nobody opposed - not too vehemently, at least - the blond joining them. As they didn't have a proper pitch and the chances of the Snitch getting lost in the nearby woods was too great, they played an adapted version, with just the Quaffle and Bludgers, and more players per team, since most of the family was interested in participating.

Scorpius was very focused on the game at first, and even though he wasn't a chaser, he pulled out some great plays, one in particular that made him very proud, taking the Quaffle off James's capable hands and seeing that play through to scoring. But after a while, there were just too many people after a single ball, and his eyes began wandering around, and quickly found Albus sitting by Frank, talking and laughing.

It was the first time he actually felt jealous. Questions like, why are they sitting so close together?, why are they looking at each other that way?, what that guy think he's doing touching Al's arm?, began popping in his head, and he dodged a Bludger in the very last second, having to stand James mocking him very loudly. He shook his head strongly and took a deep breath; he knew Albus would be very upset if he got into a fight with his brother on his birthday. But not too long after, he saw the brunet talking to a girl around their age he didn't know, and the cycle began again, except this time, his reflexes weren't fast enough and he was knocked out of his broom.

Harry and Albus were the first to run towards him, almost panicking (Harry mostly because he was afraid of what Draco might do to him if he found out), while most people in the party - including those in the air - guffawed at the situation. Hearing the commotion, the women who were still inside also joined them, and with a quick spell, Hermione fixed Scorpius's bleeding nose. They put the boy in the living room to rest, as he was clearly still very distressed - though, contrary to their belief, not from the scare of the fall, but anger for not succeeding in avoiding the blow.

"Are you alright, Scorp?" Albus asked quietly, looking at him worriedly with those bright eyes that melted the blond's heart.

"Yeah, I'm good." He replied with the best smile he could manage; that movement still caused some pain, despite the spells performed on him. As the brunet smiled back, relieved, Scorpius knew that, even if he was dying, his reply would still be the exact same, just to see that smile.

"Do you want me to get you anything? Some juice or something?"

"No, don't worry about it. You go enjoy your party, I'll be outside again in no time." He replied, but the other boy still looked doubtfully at him. "Seriously. It was just a minor accident, it happens. Don't let me spoil your party."

"You could never do that, Scorp." He replied with a sincere smile. "And you'll always be more important than any stupid party."

The blond boy didn't know whether to be happy or sad. Because as much as he wanted to hear such things, he knew his best friend didn't mean them the way he wished the boy did. And it hurt, as much as he told himself he didn't have that right. "Yeah, thanks for that. Now go on. I'll see you in a bit."

"Okay. But if you need anything, just yell, okay?"

"Malfoys are far too refined to produce such loud noises, Al. You should know that by now." He replied looking serious, but they were both laughing at the next moment.

Scorpius leaned his head back and closed his eyes, breathing deeply and trying to get rid of the anger he felt towards himself. They weren't together. They would never be together. So he had no right to feel jealous like he did. Albus had the right to have friends other than him, and to like people other than him and - he struggled with the thought for a moment -, and date people other than him. And he had to accept it. There was no discussion about it.

"Everything alright there?" He heard someone ask and his eyes fluttered open in surprise. It was Teddy, currently sporting dark blue hair falling on his forehead and violet eyes.

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"You look conflicted. You were frowning even with your eyes closed."

"It's... it's nothing."

"You're sure you don't want to talk about it?" He raised his eyebrows and smiled sympathetically. "I know we don't know each other well, but I swear I'm a good listener, and your secrets will be safe with me."

Scorpius smiled back. "Thanks, but I'm good."

"Well, whatever it is, trust me, it's not worth beating yourself up over." He replied getting up. "Ready to get back to the party? You're missing some great food, and they'll cut the cake soon."

Scorpius nodded getting up, and the two walked silently outside. The blond sat at an empty table and watched the boy with now light blue hair walk to where his girlfriend was sitting, kissing her as he took the seat beside her. He sighed, and couldn't help wishing one day he could be in Teddy's shoes. Letting his eyes wander again, his attention was briefly caught by the people still playing Quidditch, before searching for his best friend with his eyes. He was with a group of redheads - obviously - and smiled and waved at him when their eyes met.

Soon the cake was brought out, they sang and made Albus utterly embarrassed (which was the cutest thing, in Scorpius's opinion) and people started leaving the Burrow. Though Albus invited him to sleep over at Grimmauld Place, he knew all the Potters were exhausted - as was he - and declined the offer, even because it wasn't all that important, since they'd see each other the following day either way. But most importantly, he had plenty to think about with the new feelings he discovered that day.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

Harry was a little hesitant for the first couple of days after the party. Even though it was fairly ordinary for incidents to happen while playing Quidditch - and it had only been a bleeding nose, it hadn't even been broken -, Draco had come across so overprotective with all the threats he'd made that the brunet was even surprised he hadn't gotten at least an angry owl. But a few days later, he casually asked the blond boy how his father had reacted to that, and was very relieved to learn Scorpius hadn't even mentioned it - not that he had encouraged the boy to omit information or lie to his father, but it wasn't anything serious after all, was it?

There were only a few of weeks to go before the kids had to return to school, and they still had their shopping to do. Even at the age of sixteen, James still demanded most of Harry's attention whenever he was around, and Lily seemed to be following in his footsteps - minus the pranks, and plus a lot of girl talk most of the time he could not follow -, even when they did family programs. It was Albus's nature to be quieter, more reserved, but with all the time the boy spent away, allied with his personality traits, Harry was beginning to feel he was losing his bond with his middle child, especially when he knew it was the most important for him to be close to the boy.

Knowing the trip with Ron and Hermione to the Diagon Alley would, as always, be chaotic and loud, he decided to take Albus to do his shopping a few days earlier than the rest of them, which suited the brunet boy very much, but didn't go down too well with Ginny, originating yet another heated argument that ended with him sleeping in the transfigured couch in the study. But he was decided to go through with it either way, so the first Saturday after Albus's birthday, they left shortly after breakfast through the Floo Network, arriving at the Leaky Caldron, where he couldn't avoid spending several minutes socializing, while Tom made sure the boy wasn't either harassed or bored.

"Okay, so where to first?" Harry asked with a smile as they walked into the long street. "Gringotts, I suppose?"

"Unless you have enough money with you." The boy smiled at his father.

"You know, I can still remember the first time I came here." He said as they walked side by side. Surprisingly, even though it was a weekend and mid-July already, the street was fairly empty, allowing them to enjoy the trip. "It was absolutely fascinating. I'd never seen any magic before."

"I know dad." He smiled apologetically. "You told us a bunch of times already."

"Oh. Right." He smiled back. "What you want to talk about then?"

"I don't know. Nothing in particular."

"That makes it hard for us to keep any conversation, you know." He said looking at the boy beside him, still smiling. They walked in silence for another minute before he gave it another try. "When I was in my fourth year, we had the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts."

"And you almost got killed. Like pretty much every other year you spent there." He tried to keep his tone light, so his father wouldn't think he was annoyed or bored with him, but the truth was, well, he was.

"Yeah. That's... That's pretty accurate." Harry replied as they walked up the steps and into Gringotts. Several minutes later, they were walking out again, and their first stop was Madam Malkin's. "So, hm, how are you going, then?" He asked as the old witch took Albus's measures.

"I'm good."

"Yeah? And how's school? I mean, I know you're not having trouble or anything, but are you enjoying it?"

"It's alright." He replied watching Madam Malkin disappear behind a door.

"You haven't got a single detention yet, have you?" Harry asked with a smile, a mix of pride and amusement.

"No, dad. I'm not James." He smiled back.

"Very well, boy. Try this one, then. It should fit you just right..." The woman said handing him a set of school robes, which he readily put over his daily clothes. "As I thought... It's perfect!" She said with a satisfied smile. "How many will you need?"

"I think two will do." Albus replied with a smile, and Madam Malkin nodded, still smiling, disappearing once again.

"How is Slytherin?" Harry asked, trying to pick up their attempt at a conversation.

"It's okay, dad. No complaints."

"Yeah? Good. Very good. Much like me and Gryffindor, I guess."

"I guess."

"And do you have other friends there? I've only met Scorpius so far, perhaps you'd like to have other friends come over some time?"

"I'm not really close to anyone but Scorp, actually."

"Oh." He raised his eyebrows a little, surprised. "Any reason in particular for that?"

"No, not really. What's with the interrogation, dad?" He asked slightly annoyed as they paid for the clothes and walked out of the shop.

"I just want to know how you're doing, that's all. You know, with all the time you spend away, and then you're always locked in your room or at the Malfoy Manor, I thought it'd be nice for us to spend some time together."

"If you say so." He murmured as they walked into Flourish and Blotts.

This time, some prominent political figure also happened to be shopping there, and Harry engaged in conversation with him while Albus looked for his own things. After he was done, the older Potter seemed more than happy to have an excuse to walk away, and they laughed a bit as they headed to the Apothecary.

"So... Any interesting girls at school?" Harry asked, poking him with his elbow and smiling.

Albus wasn't quite so excited about the question. "No, dad."

"Oh, come on, you can tell me. Maybe I can even help you with it?"

"Dad, stop it. It's embarrassing."

"Okay, okay, you don't have to tell me..."

"Good, because I'm not." He replied, walking a few steps ahead.

"Hey, Al! I'm sorry, okay?" He called, running a little and holding the boy by his arm. "I didn't mean to butt into your life. I just wanted you to talk to me. You don't like Quidditch, so we don't talk about that. You never tell me anything new about school, or friends, or anything. I just want to know you, you're my son after all."

Albus sighed. "I know dad. But, really, there's not that much going on."

"Really?" He looked almost surprised at the boy, remembering his own very agitated school years. "Okay, then. But you do know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yeah, dad. Don't worry." He smiled. "Can we keep going now?"

"Sure." Harry smiled back, and they entered the last shop they'd be visiting. A couple of minutes later, as they waited for their supplies to be packed, Draco and Scorpius walked in.

"Merlin, can't I go one year shopping without meeting you?" The blond man asked in his best arrogant tone, making Harry laugh. "Seriously, Potter, this is harassment."

"I was here first, Malfoy." Harry replied as defiantly as he used to at school. They looked at each other for long moments, as they would immediately before engaging into fights, letting the tension build a little before smiling at each other and shaking hands. "Is there much still to go?"

"No, the apothecary is always our last stop."

"Same here."

"Mr. Potter, here's your order." The man behind the counter said, offering him a bag.

"Thanks." Harry smiled at him, handing over the money. "I was thinking we could go for an ice-cream? The boys would like the treat." He suggested, turning back to the blond man.

"I suppose so. We're not in a hurry or anything."

Soon they were again walking down the street, the two men a few steps behind the boys who talked and laughed. Harry and Draco discussed casual subjects while the brunet watched his son and his friend. Even though he was no expert when it came to relationships, he couldn't help noticing how frequently they let the green eyes meet the silver ones, or the way their shoulders and hands brushed as they walked side by side, much closer than Draco and himself did or that was necessary.

"What do you think about them being friends?" Harry asked once they were seated, the two of them in a table, and the boys in another. There was plenty of empty tables anyway.

Draco looked briefly at them before turning back to the brunet. "Unexpected. But they seem to get along pretty well."

"Yeah. They're pretty close."

"Yeah. So?"

"Uh, nothing." Harry smiled, wondering if Draco had actually not noticed. "I'm happy for them, though. It's good that they have someone they can trust outside the family. It's never quite the same talking to family as it is talking to friends."

"I'll say." The blond smiled.

In the end, they spent almost an hour sitting by Fortescue's Parlor, and all four were in very good mood when they left. Unfortunately, back at the Potter household, Ginny wasn't feeling quite so cheery, proceeding to ignore Harry almost completely as she worked on dinner. Once they were done eating, the brunet prudently offered to do the dishes (or rather, supervise the spell designed for that chore) while he debated with himself whether or not to talk to Albus and try to figure out if what he'd seen earlier had any meaning. He knew he wasn't exactly the subtler of people, and the boy had already demonstrated to be defensive about the topic, but he was just too curious not to say anything.

"Hey, Al. Can I come in?" He asked standing at the door.

Albus was lying on his bed with one of his new books. "Sure, dad." He smiled, sitting up and putting the book away.

"So, did you have fun today?"

"Sure."

"You and Scorpius really get along, huh?"

"He's my best friend."

"And you're his only close friend as well?"

"What do you want, dad?" He asked with his eyebrows raised and a half-smile on his lips.

"I was just wondering."

"What?"

"If I remember it well, his dad was quite popular back at school. With girls and all."

"So?"

"I was wondering if maybe he is as well?"

"It's alright, I guess."

"Does he has a girlfriend?"

"No, dad. Neither of us do."

"And what would you think if he had one?"

"Nothing. If he wants to be with anyone, great for him. It's not like we'd stop being friends because of that."

"That's... great, son."

"Yeah..." He murmured. "Are we done now?"

"Yes." Harry smiled and nodded softly, getting up. "I just wanted to make sure you'll be alright if things change between you two."

"Why would they?"

"Well, if he got a girlfriend, you'd have less time to spend together, and since you're pretty much each other's only friends..."

"Again, dad, I'll be fine. And if it happens, I'll just deal with it."

"Yeah. Okay." He leaned forward and left a kiss on the top of Albus's head, gaining quite the frown in return. "Hey! You'll never be too old for that, okay? I'm your dad, and you'll always be my little boy." Albus made a face at him as he turned to leave.

The following Monday, Ron and Hermione showed up at his office to invite him for lunch, as had become a weekly habit. They chose a recently-opened restaurant a couple of blocks from the Ministry back entrance, and used their break to catch up with each other - not that there was much to tell, since they met all too often, but somehow they always managed to find things to discuss.

"I heard you took Albus to Diagon Alley this weekend." Hermione smiled at him.

"Yeah, Ginny showed up at the Burrow and wouldn't shut up about it." Ron rolled his eyes.

"I thought it would be good to spend some time alone with him. We don't get to do that a lot anymore."

"And did it work?" The girl asked, taking the juice glass that was being offered her and taking a sip before leaving it on the table.

Harry grabbed his Coke and drank some of it before replying. As much as they enjoyed the wizard beverages, having grown up as muggles, both Hermione and him had a pretty taste for typically muggle drinks. "I'm not sure. He's very reserved, you know."

"I wonder who he took after on that one. I don't remember either you or Ginny being like that." Hermione frowned a little, working her memory.

"His namesakes, probably." Harry joked, making them smile. "He didn't say much, but something is kind of bothering me."

"What is it?"

"Has... Has Rose ever mentioned any boys to you?"

"Of course not! She's far too young-" Ron started, agitated, but was interrupted by his wife, who rolled her eyes at his reaction.

"A few times. Why?"

"She used to be very fond of Frankie, didn't she?"

"I think she still is." The woman smiled nicely.

"And... Would you do anything to... Encourage it? Maybe talk to one of them or-"

"Did Albus mention anyone?"

"No, not really. He actually got pretty angry when I tried to talk about it, which of course made me think there might be someone. So I thought I'd ask you, you know, for reference, since they're the same age."

"Boys are different, Harry. Tell James to give him a pointer or two, and before you'll know it, he'll be bringing home a different girl every time." Ron smiled encouragingly, earning an elbow poke from the woman beside him.

"I don't think Albus would appreciate it too much, Harry. He's not that kind of boy. Just give him some space, and if he needs your advice, I'm sure he'll ask for it. Otherwise you'll just end up pushing him away, making him feel he has to hide things from you."

"I suppose you're right. But, say I find out who it is, should I talk to, er, her, then?" It was enough that Ron had to be in that conversation, he didn't need his best friend harassing his son for things that, first, didn't matter, and second, he wasn't even sure about.

"I still think you shouldn't interfere, Harry. Just make sure whoever it is, it's a good person, otherwise you might want to watch a little more closely. But if you ever interfere, and Albus finds out, he won't forgive you."

"So, who is it, Harry?" Ron asked with a smile.

"I don't know, Ron. It was just a hypothesis. Just in case. And I strictly forbid you to mention it to Albus, or even better, anyone, okay? This stays between us."

"Oh, come on, mate! It's our solemn duty as his male role models to point him the right direction and encourage his little romantic adventures!" He said excitedly, smiling.

"Says the boy who took years to even admit to _himself_ he liked me." Hermione said sarcastically, one eyebrow raised, wiping the smiled off the redhead's face and making Harry cover his mouth with both hands in a failed attempt to hide his amusement. "And I suppose the same goes for Rose, then? As her female role model, I should encourage-"

"It's completely different! She's a girl, and we need to protect her from-"

"From all your reckless advice to boys, mate." Harry finished his sentence, gaining a frown. "And I'm serious. Not a word to anyone."

"Okay, okay..." Ron raised his hands playfully, making the other two smile, just as their food arrived, and they decided to move on to more neutral subjects.

After that, Harry was decided to just sit back and observe, and he couldn't help smiling every time he saw the boys interacting. For him, it was even more obvious than it had been that Ron and Hermione should be together, and it was almost incomprehensible for him how everybody else could not notice. How the boys couldn't notice, because as close as they seemed, they still didn't act as a couple - not even when they thought nobody was seeing.

A few days later, it was the others' turn to go shopping, and after they were done, Ron and Hermione stayed over for dinner. Rose and Hugo had decided to go to the Burrow, where some other cousins were gathered, but the Potter kids chose the comfort of their own home after an exhausting day. Halfway into the meal, the redhead man leaned over to Harry in an attempt of gaining some privacy, but due to his incapacity of keeping his voice down, the whole table could hear his question.

"So, any progress on... you know, what we were talking about the other day?" He asked blinking one eye.

"What is he talking about, Harry?" Ginny asked as Hermione hit his arm, making him complain.

"Uh..." Harry started, trying to gain time to work up an excuse.

"It's just some work stuff we were discussing the other day." Hermione smiled.

"No, it's not!" Ron exclaimed, gaining another slap. "You know, I think Gin has the right to know."

"Know what?" She asked, and the other three looked at each other. The kids had also silenced, suddenly interested in what was going on.

"Uh, it's just, you know..." Harry begun, making the redhead woman raise an eyebrow.

"It's nothing important, Gin. It's just that, now the kids are growing up, the subject of them dating came up. And since James got his first girlfriend in his fourth year, we were wondering about Albus and Rose."

"And why would that require any progress?" She asked, her eyebrow arching even higher.

"Harry mentioned Albus might like someone." Ron spit out before anyone could stop him, and Albus's face acquired a strong shade of red, in a mix of embarrassment and anger. Both Harry and Hermione looked severely at him, making him cower a little in his seat, but Ginny's eyes demanded more information. "And how will you know if it's a good girl to be around him if you don't find out who it is?"

"We'll find out who it is when he decides to introduce hi- her, when he introduce us to whoever it might be." Harry said conclusively, hoping his quick recovery would leave his near slip-up unnoticed, but knowing that at least the brunet woman would've picked it up.

"Care to stop talking about my personal life already?" Albus asked, his feelings evident in his voice.

"Come on, Al, you can tell us about it." Ron said with an encouraging smile, but the boy just turned his eyes back to the plate and began playing with the food still left.

"Well, I for one know he's been out with a couple of girls." James said with a smirk, taking the chance to get his brother even more embarrassed.

"Did he?" Ron and Ginny said at the same time, one sounding proud and the other, surprised.

"Yeah. He-"

"Why don't you tell us about your current girlfriend instead, James?" Harry interrupted him, receiving a relieved look from his middle child. They both knew James never missed a chance to talk about himself.

"Oh, I'm not seeing anybody right now. I dated this Hufflepuff girl for a while but, you know, it's just too much drama." He smiled proudly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "She bored you. She was probably too smart for you. Like the Hufflepuff that came before her, and the Ravenclaw, and the two Gryffindors."

The four adults raised their eyebrows, and James shifted his position, slightly uncomfortable, assuming a more defensive pose. "Well, I can't help it if I'm the most popular player in the team and all girls want me."

"Yeah, right." Lily said sarcastically.

"It's not like I don't know you have boys chasing you too, you know."

"You do?" Harry asked surprised.

"Well, yeah, but they're all idiots. There's not one single interesting boy in that school."

"I remember feeling that way..." Ginny murmured, knowing exactly what happened after those feelings faded.

"Y-You're far too young for that anyway." Ron stated as firmly as he could, assuming the same expression he had when they talked about Rose.

"Well, she might be, but Rosie isn't, you know." Hermione teased with a smile, making Harry and Ginny smile as well, while Ron frowned. "It's her fourth year. Do you remember ours? It's when I met Viktor. And it was also when Gin stated dating..." They all laughed at how pale Ron got with that prospect, before deciding he'd been through enough teasing and changing the subject.

Once they were done eating, the four adults decided to move to the living room, where they'd be more comfortable to talk, and let the kids return to their own affairs. Hermione stopped Harry in the hallway, and asked to talk to him in private for a few minutes.

"What about?" Ron inquired, having heard them.

"It's... About a problem concerning the Ministry." The brunet replied.

"Anything I can help with?" The redhead man insisted.

"Sorry, Ron. It's confidential." She said apologetically, and he frowned for a moment, before walking into the room where his sister waited for him.

"That's what you get for having a wife with higher clearance than you..." They heard him mumble and smiled, making their way to the study.

"So, what is it?" Harry asked, closing the door, even though he already knew the answer.

"It's just... You know, earlier, when we were talking about Albus..."

"Yes?"

"Do you... Do you have any idea who it could be? Because, you know, I don't know if you meant to, but you implied that... Well, that it could be another boy."

"I don't know who it is, Hermione." He said firmly.

"Yes, but, you know, is there any reason to suspect it might not be a girl?"

"Considering his options are boys and girls, there's a 50-50 chance either way, right?" He asked raising an eyebrow and smiling softly.

"Well, but wouldn't you want to know if it's another boy?"

"It wouldn't matter any more than if it were a girl, Hermione."

"So you... wouldn't mind?"

"No. It makes no difference to me if Albus dates a boy or a girl, as it wouldn't if James dated a boy or Lily dated a girl."

"Oh." She said, surprised, her face assuming that expression it always did when she was about to give out advice in the quality of the wisest person around.

"Don't you dare." He warned. "They are my kids, Mione. And I don't want Albus to feel like he has to hide from us just because whoever he's dating isn't the gender we expect them to be. Either way around."

They looked into each other's eyes for a long minute, Hermione pondering whether or not to insist on the subject, and Harry wondering how he could make his point any clearer. Then she nodded. "You're right. It shouldn't matter, and he's your son, not mine. Just be careful, okay?"

"Careful with what?"

"Who you tell. And careful not to keep letting it slip. Not everybody is as understanding as you. Ron for one isn't."

"I know. I try, but sometimes..." He smiled.

"You really were never too good at keeping secrets from us anyway." She smiled back. "Let's just hope whoever it is, is someone nice."

"I'm sure it'll be."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

"Do you think we should worry about it?" Ginny asked later that day, as they both got ready to go to bed.

"What?" He replied, leaving the excess pillows on the floor and rescuing the pajamas he'd left under them.

"Albus being interested in somebody."

"Why would we?"

"I know the boys are different, but James always told us about those kinds of things."

"As you said, the boys are different, Gin." He said, sitting with his back on the headboard and grabbing a book from the bedside table.

"I suppose." She sighed. "And I guess whoever it might be, it can't be worse than him having that Malfoy boy as his best friend." Harry couldn't help smiling at that remark, his eyes fixed on the page before him. "What?"

"What, what?" He frowned a little, looking at her.

"You smiled." She explained.

"And?"

"Do you know something you're not telling me?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He replied, putting the unread book away.

"If you know anything, that's exactly the kind of information you should share with me. It's exactly the kind of thing I'd like to know about my children, Harry."

"As I said, I have no idea what you're talking about." He put out the lights on his side with a flick of his wand, leaving the object near his glasses on the bedside table. "Good night."

She observed him for another minute, trying to decide whether or not to believe him. "Good night." She finally replied, putting out her light.

Harry spent quite some time that night thinking about how to hide the information now in his possession, and he would struggle with that apparently simple task many times in the days to come. Whether it was because he was caught watching the boys interact during meals, or how he reacted every time Scorpius's name came up, even in front of the two fourteen-year-olds, who didn't seem too aware of their own relationship, he found himself in a very steep learning curve as to watching not only his words but also his actions.

The next time he met with Ron and Hermione, he found out the woman had spent quite some time lecturing the redhead for having brought that up, and because of it, they'd fought again. The two of them were talking normally again by the end of the week, but every time there wasn't anyone around, Ron would bring that up, and as vehemently as he could, Harry would affirm he had no new information. Hermione also didn't seem too satisfied with the possibility of her nephew dating another boy - she was, after all, muggle-born, and like Harry, spent years in that culture, and he even understood where she was coming from, but it didn't make him any more sympathetic to her cause -, mostly with askew glances his way, but also with comments dropped occasionally, all of which always went right over Ron's head.

Between dodging his wife and his best friends, Harry began wishing he had someone he could openly talk to and entrust with the subject. But none of the Weasleys were an option - Charlie would be the best of them, but even so long after the war he didn't completely trust the mail, and such topics shouldn't be discussed via Floo -, and he hadn't really kept in contact with any of his schoolmates. He then thought of the other adults he knew, but most of them were now dead, and he gave up with a sigh. Draco crossed his mind - they'd been getting along fairly well, hadn't they? -, but he had no idea what the blond's opinions on the matter would be, and if he was anything like his father, he would end up making Scorpius's life terribly hard.

And that secret wasn't the only thing he'd like to talk about. Even if lately he and Ginny had been fairly friendly with one another, their relationship was very deteriorated, and the romantic aspect of it, completely gone. He wasn't sure anymore if he even wanted to try and make it work, or if he'd given up on them already. Especially now the children didn't occupy most of their time, he began questioning himself more often, and feeling their differences even more.

He even considered one of those muggle therapists, but it would be hard to talk about anything when he couldn't really talk about much. And unfortunately for him, there weren't such professionals in the wizard world, leading him right back to his initial problem.

The final weeks of vacation were over in the blink of an eye - as always happens when one's having fun -, and it was time for them to return to school once more. The morning of September, 1st, was as chaotic as only that day could be. As much as they tried, all three kids always forgot to pack something (some more than others) and had to rush around the house to make sure nothing was left behind. It was almost a tradition at the Potter household, one they knew was shared at least by all the other Weasley families with school-aged children.

When everybody was finally ready, they got into a cab - Harry had decided to sell his car after James took it without permission earlier that month, almost running over some pedestrians in the sidewalk and crashing into a lamp post at the end of the block, rendering the vehicle useless and landing a whole month of grounding -, and had a very loud drive to King's Cross Station, with James and Lily babbling incessantly about their friends - and luckily they were both reasonable enough not to mention anything magic-related, as their conversation was well within hearing reach of their muggle driver.

With all the fumbling around the house just before they were due to leave, the Potters arrived at platform 9 3/4 with just a few minutes to spare, and for all three children's happiness, there was no time for what had become Ginny's traditional sending-away lecture. Each of the three went a different way after boarding, Lily choosing a cabin with some of the girls she shared her dorm with, in the same car that James sat with his friends. Albus took a long time to drag his bag down the train - it seemed it weighed more as he got older, so no matter how strong he was becoming, it was still a little too heavy - , searching for the cabin where Scorpius was, which, of course, had to be the furthest away from where he boarded the train. And it didn't help at all that, as the train began moving, a significant number of students decided to walk around, cramping even more the already too narrow hallways and making his task almost impossible.

Albus was exhausted by the time he reached the cabin where the other boys were - it'd become sort of a tradition for them to share the cabin with Lynus, Thales and Shane, Thales's younger brother, even though they weren't too close friends. It was better than sharing the cabin with anyone else, at least, and it was nice to catch up with them. Changing the subject never hurt.

"Where have you been?" Scorpius asked surprised as he opened the door, and immediately jumped to his feet to help him with his suitcase. He was becoming very strong from all the Quidditch practice, and the brunet boy was very happy to receive some help.

"We were late, and then it took me forever to find you, trying not to hit anyone with my things on the way." He smiled, taking his seat by the window and across from the blond boy. Their seats also seemed to always remain the same, no matter who arrived first in the cabin.

"Well, we were just waiting for you to arrive before Thales could tell you the good news." Lynus smiled naughtily, making Albus raise his eyebrows and smile, curious.

"Well, go ahead then." He encouraged.

"I-It's nothing that important, you know." The boy mumbled, his face acquiring a faint shade of pink.

"Don't be so shy! Tell them!" Lynus encouraged.

"I... I'm seeing someone." He practically whispered.

"What was that?" Albus asked teasingly. All eyes were focused on Thales and nobody noticed Scorpius was also blushing a little, and looked out the window as if it were the most fantastic landscape he'd ever seen.

"I have a girlfriend!" He said a little louder, avoiding the eyes on him. "There. I've said it."

"And who is she?" The brunet asked curiously. The other two smiled knowingly, and he presumed they already knew.

"It's a Ravenclaw girl I met during summer. She's starting her fifth year this year."

"That's great!" Albus said with a genuine smile.

"Come on, tell them what she said to you when you got together!" Thales shook his head vehemently, embarrassed. "I'm sure they want to kno-ow!" He chanted.

"Okay, fine. She said-"

"Nobody's interested in your stupid girlfriend, so shut up already." Scorpius chided, annoyed, looking straight at the Thales, before turning his eyes out the window again. All the other cabin occupants looked at him, surprised and unsure how to reply. Noticing the sudden silence, the blond boy turned around, his eyes running through all the boys and stopping at Albus. "What?"

"If you're not interested, that's okay, but you don't need to be a jerk, Scorp." The brunet replied, knowing he'd be the only one who'd dare. The others were almost scared of him.

He opened his mouth and closed it again, trying to decide what to say. "Fine. Fine. Whatever." He finally said, standing up. "I'm going for a walk."

"Scorp!" Albus called, also standing up. He stopped at the door and turned to the boys left in the cabin. "I'm sorry about that. I don't know what's wrong with him." He smiled apologetically before walking into the hallway. "Scorp! Scorp, come on!" He called, running a few steps to catch up with the boy marching away. "Scorp!" He repeated, grabbing the boy by his arm.

The blond boy was really annoyed when he left the cabin, even because he couldn't understand or control his reaction. But as soon as he felt Albus's grip on his arm, all those feelings seemed to wash away, and he had to control himself not to smile as he turned around. "What?" He replied as softly as he could.

"I'm the one to ask. What was that all about?"

"I just..." He started, running a hand through his hair and sighing. "I don't know. I overreacted, I guess."

"You guess?" He raised an eyebrow, and the blond finally let himself smile. "What was different this time? They have been talking about girls since before summer holiday, and it never bothered you."

"I don't know. I'm a bit stressed, I suppose. I'm sorry for that."

"It's not me you have to apologize to, you know." He said quietly, smiling.

"I know." They just looked at each other for a long moment, until a little group of students came their way and they were forced to move to the side to let them pass, breaking eye contact and making Albus let go of the arm he was still holding. Scorpius didn't expect to feel as empty as he did when that happened, and took a second to recover from it. Luckily, Albus didn't seem to notice it.

"So. Let's go back?" Albus invited, tilting his head towards their cabin.

"I... Think I still need a while longer to calm down. I think I'll go looking for the Trolley Lady."

"Want some company?" He offered kindly, smiling.

As much as he wanted to say yes, Scorpius found himself shaking his head. "It's okay. You go back, and I'll be there in a while."

"Okay, then. Just... Relax, okay? They're just bragging, just to kill time until we arrive at school. It means nothing."

"I know." He nodded slightly. "Do you want any treats?" He asked as casually as he could, knowing whatever the brunet replied, he'd bring him some of his favorites.

"Hm..." He thought for a moment, and Scorpius took the chance to add yet another facial expression to his rapidly-growing mental collection of images of Albus. "I think I want a Chocolate Caldron." He smiled.

"Okay. See you in a bit." He smiled back, and watched as the other boy turned around and walked away, and waited until he'd disappeared inside the cabin before going off to look for the trolley. It was still very early in the trip, so he knew he'd find her on the first cart, waiting until it was time to do her rounds and probably chatting with the conductor.

He took his time walking through the train and looking into the cabins, getting brief glances of excited students chattering, until he saw the first couple making out and decided he had enough of peeking into other people's lives. But he couldn't help taking a step back when his eyes caught something completely unexpected: there was an almost empty cabin, with only two occupants, making out as half of the older students were, except they were two boys. Probably sixth- or seventh-years, who he didn't recognize (though it wasn't too easy to see their faces in the middle of the action, so it was possible he knew them after all), attacking each other like there was no tomorrow.

Scorpius was mesmerized by what he saw. His feet seemed glued to the ground every time that annoying little voice in the back of his head tried to tell him to walk away, that he was being rude, that it was wrong to stare like that. And yet he couldn't move, and didn't even realize his cheeks acquiring shades of pink or his breath becoming a little heavier and faster.

He could've watched those two boys for the rest of the trip, but the loud noise of the car door opening and excited chatter pulled him off his musings, just in time to turn away from the group of girls walking his way, distracted in their own conversation. As he tried to ignore them - and hopefully be ignored in return - he noticed being flushed and breathing faster weren't the only physical effects of the spectacle he'd been watching, and as soon as the girls were out of sight, he ran to the first toilet he could found.

It was the first time he'd seen something like that, and it got him more interested than he thought it would. Maybe because, like him and Albus, one was a brunet and the other a blond, so he couldn't help putting himself in their position and wondering what it'd feel like to have his best friend to himself like that. Which didn't help at all the cause between his legs.

He took his time to calm down before walking out again, and go looking for the candies he'd promised Albus. It wasn't the first time he'd seen people making out - it happened all the time around the castle - but he'd always made a point of looking away immediately. And he knew from all his reading that same-sex couples were fairly common in the wizard world, and as a general rule, as well-accepted as opposite-sex couples, so he most certainly must have encountered them before. Maybe because of his newly-discovered feelings, maybe because he was getting older and hence interested in such things, but the fact was, that scene would stay in his mind for a long time.

The rest of the walk to the first cart went by without his noticing, and he almost forgot the grab the Chocolate Caldron that Albus had requested - he didn't usually go for that particular treat -, and had to come back for it. The trolley lady joked about his distraction, making the conductor laugh, but he just forced a smile, knowing he was supposed to have thought it was fun, but having no idea what had been said.

He was still distracted when he reached the cabin where the other boys were, a blood-flavored lollipop in his mouth and a small bag of candy in one hand. Everybody looked at him as he entered, and even before he sat down, he took the treat from his mouth and said, looking at nobody in particular, "I'm sorry I snapped. I shouldn't have said what I said."

"Never mind it, Scorpius." Thales smiled, watching him sit across from Albus.

"Yeah, it's no big deal." Lynus complemented.

"What took you so long?" Albus whispered as he accepted the paper bag he was being offered.

"Got distracted." He replied with a smile and a light shrug, gaining one of Albus's room-lighting smiles and feeling his heart melt inside his chest.

"Are you feeling better now?" The brunet asked before breaking eye-contact, looking into the bag and taking out some chocolate. "Do you guys want anything?" He offered them the bag, and all three declined.

"Yeah, I think I'm good."

"So, Scorpius, we were talking about Hayley-" Lynus started, but was interrupted by Scorpius.

"Hayley?" He frowned.

"My brother's girlfriend." Shane smiled.

"Oh." He replied, already feeling annoyed again and sounding less than amused.

"So, we were thinking, maybe he could get some of her friends to go out with us as well, don't you think, Albus?"

The brunet smiled embarrassedly, shaking his head. "Uh... I'm not so su-"

Before the boy could finish his reply, Scorpius stood up again and left, rolling his eyes. He couldn't believe they were _still_ talking about that, or how much it could annoy him. He walked a couple of cabins away before stopping, to wait for Albus. He honestly expected the brunet to come after him, ask him what was going on and make him feel better, but he was completely disappointed when, almost ten minutes later, there was still no sign of Albus. Tired of waiting, he made his way down the train until he found a cabin with two young boys, probably first-years, sleeping, and sat by the window, wishing the trip didn't take as long as it usually did.

When he saw Scorpius leave, Albus had the urge to go after him as he always did, but the other boys told him to just leave him alone, since clearly he wasn't done acting as a jerk. He felt a little guilty, but remained in the cabin listening to the boys ramble on, distractedly looking out the window. It felt very much like his first ride to Hogwarts had, and he wished even more that Scorpius could be there with him.

The blond boy didn't return to the cabin for the rest of the ride, and when it was announced the travel was almost over and students should put on their school robes, Albus got tired of waiting around. He got dressed and grabbed Scorpius's robes from his suitcase before walking out of the cabin - under protests of boys who thought he was _actually_ interested in spending eight hours discussing girls and dating, and some mockery about him being the blond's babysitter - in search of his friend.

It took him several minutes to find Scorpius, and his lips instantly curled up in a smile when he saw, still standing in the hallway, the blond sleeping peacefully, his head leaning against the window and his hair falling over his eyes a little, keeping two equally asleep boys company. He admired the scene for another moment before opening the door, startling all three occupants.

"Time to get dressed." He announced for all of them with a smile, handing over the black robes to his friend.

"Thanks." Scorpius smiled back, taking his clothes and putting them on right away.

"You boys better get ready as well, we'll arrive soon." He said raising an eyebrow and watching them blush.

"Y-Yes." One of them replied, both fumbling through their bags in search of the robes. The two of them helped the boys to put away their bags again and sat with them in silence for the last few minutes of the ride. The two young boys were still trembling a little when they jumped off the train and went looking for Hagrid, making both of them giggle.

Scorpius still seemed a little tense when they sat down for the feast that night, and Albus was the only one who dared talk to him, even managing to make him laugh by the time they were returning to their dorm. But instead of sitting with the others in the Common Room, the blond went straight to bed that night, and by the time Albus decided to call it a night - he'd been invited to a chess game, and couldn't refuse - he was already sound asleep.

For the next few days, the boy seemed to return to his normal temperament, smiling and being nice to everybody, as most of what they discussed now was related to school. But every time girls were mentioned, or Hayley showed up - she and Thales had quickly developed the habit of eating together in one of their tables, since they spent most of the day without seeing each other -, Scorpius would stand up and leave, which worked well to avoid him getting into discussions with the other boys, but also meant he was spending increasing periods of time alone, since apparently Albus had grown tired of chasing after him.

During the summer holiday, especially after he'd come to terms with his feelings, things seemed to get better every time he met Albus. They spent most of their days alone together, just the two of them, and he would soon learn he'd become terribly spoiled, having a hard time controlling his temper when somebody else got too much attention from his best friend - which happened more and more often as he started pulling away from the other students.

The only exception, of course, had been the boy's birthday party, but between being dragged around by Albus (and constantly having the brunet's hand on his arm, literally pulling him - not that he was complaining much) and taking a bludger on his nose, he hadn't had much time to feel jealous. Even because most of the people there were his family, and he didn't allow himself a second thought: it was stupid to be jealous of them, and that was the end of it.

Luckily there was still Quidditch, which kept his mind distracted for a few hours every other day, even if he had to use all his will power to do so, having the brunet boy watch him from the bleachers as he always had. He also became very self-aware when Albus was around, and changed his showering routine, being always fully dressed by the time he met the boy in their changing room. If anybody noticed anything, they never mentioned it, or even spared him a second look his way. The walks to and from the pitch were almost the only moments things seemed normal between them, with the boys talking friendly, smiling and joking with each other.

They still shared a bed during the weekends, but it made him as nervous as he never thought he could be, and as much as he'd love to spend hours just talking to Albus - which would also give him a very plausible reason to keep looking at him, scanning every inch of the face he already knew so well -, most nights he would pretend to already be asleep when the brunet came to their dorm and climbed into his bed, afraid of what he could say or how he might react otherwise. At least he knew the boy liked to be beside him enough to do so even if they wouldn't interact at all.

Slowly, instead of growing closer to Albus, he found himself drifting away, trying to learn how to control his feelings (if his dad saw that, he'd be lectured endlessly, he remembered with a slightly bitter smile), but having his every action create more barriers between them.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

The weeks passed and Scorpius was still trying to find the balance between being around Albus and feeling terribly jealous, and not being around him and missing the boy like he was a part of his own body.

As September ended, it brought not only the cold autumn wind, but also the first Quidditch match of the season, Slytherin versus Hufflepuff. Though it wasn't considered a difficult match, the team captain was making the players work a little harder, especially on the last week before the game, which meant even less time to spend beside Albus, who could be often found napping on the bleachers, especially in the mornings, or by the fire in their common room, waiting for him.

The day of the match began with the sun shining bright above their heads, the temperature shock bothering many of the spectators. For the first several minutes, Scorpius just watched as his team scored time and time again, quickly increasing their lead, before flying around the pitch in search of the snitch. Albus waved at him when he flew over his head, and the blond smiled, feeling even more motivated to find the gold ball.

When the snitch finally appeared, the snake house had a 60-point lead over the badgers, and it seemed like it would be an easy win. Scorpius was closer to it, and launched forward, quickly gaining ground and, after a couple of minutes, he could almost feel it on his fingertips. But then he glanced over the bleachers, and his trained eye didn't have a hard time finding who he was looking for. And finding more than he was looking for.

Albus was sitting in with Frankie between students from different houses, leaning forward to hear something the older boy was whispering to him, and smiling the way he usually did when Scorpius made a joke. That brief moment of distraction was all it took for him to lose control of his broom and crash against one of the stands, sliding down the drapes that covered it until he reached the ground. Half the spectators got up, making surprised sounds, and it took him a couple of minutes to recover and get back in the air. Luckily for him, his fall also distracted the other seeker and the snitch hadn't been caught, but his heart was still racing when the team captain approached him.

"What the hell was that about?" He chided, and Scorpius shrugged his shoulders. "Why would you even take your eyes off the snitch when you were so close to catching it?"

"I don't know! I'm sorry, okay? It just... happened. Before I could stop it. But it won't happen again, I promise."

"It better not. Or else you won't play the next match, and perhaps no other for the rest of the season." He threatened.

"Okay, got it." He mumbled, and watched the boy fly away before flying some rounds.

Albus waved at him again as he flew by, looking worried, but he pretended not to see and tried to focus on the game. It took the snitch almost fifteen minutes to appear again, this time on the other side of the pitch from where Scorpius was, and he leaned forward, forcing his broom to its speed limit and nearly running the other seeker over while chasing the snitch. And this time he didn't take his eyes off the golden ball until it was secure in his hands.

Scorpius was barely smiling when he came down, in spite of all the cheering coming from the bleachers. He rushed to the shower, but couldn't avoid the team's anger over the lost snitch when he tried to make his way out.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" The boy who played as keeper asked, pushing him strongly enough to make him lose his balance and take a step back. "You almost cost us the game!"

"Don't you know the first thing about being a seeker, boy?" The only girl on the team, a seventh-year who played as chaser, chided. "The whole time, eyes on the ball!"

"Whatever happened, you better make sure it doesn't happen again, you hear me, Scorpius?" The team captain warned, taking a step forward.

"Well, things worked out fine, didn't they?" He asked, raising his voice, upset. "We won, okay?"

"Well, thanks to you, we almost didn't!" The keeper replied.

"Almost being the imperative word." He uttered. "And it won't happen again, don't worry." He mumbled, throwing his bag over one shoulder and pushing his way out of the changing room, bumping on Albus on his way.

"Are you okay?" The brunet asked softly, and he felt his anger evaporate the way only Albus could make it.

"I'm fine." He replied quietly. "Shall we?" He asked, pointing to the castle and trying to change the subject.

"Sure." Albus smiled, and they walked for long minutes in silence. "What happened up there?" He asked finally. "I was really worried when you fell. Did you get hurt?"

"I... Got distracted." He replied, hoping it would be enough to satisfy the brunet's curiosity. "And I'm fine. Not a scratch, see?" He smiled, stretching his arms and turning them for the other boy to see.

Albus giggled. "I'm glad you're fine. But I don't suppose the team was too happy about it. Was that why you were so angry?"

He nodded. "But it's okay now. And I won't let it happen again." He smiled.

For the following weeks, the blond boy put even more effort into the practices, decided to prove to the rest of the team he was perfectly trustworthy. After a few days, their anger dissipated, and they were all in good terms again. After that incident, Scorpius mentally lectured himself several times, and it seemed to work very well, for not only his focus, both in Quidditch as in school, increased, but so did his tolerance to the other students, and things seemed to be slowing returning to what they used to be, between him and Albus, and him and everybody else.

That Friday morning started off like any other. The boys woke up early, tried not to fall back asleep as they got changed and yawned all the way to the Great Hall, where steaming hot coffee waited to help them through the morning classes. They were discussing their latest homework assignment with the other students when the morning mail brought the usual flock of owls, most of them carrying the Daily Prophet or letters from home. All the fourth-year Slytherins around were surprised when a school owl flew right over their heads, dropping an envelope right in front of Albus's plate.

"Since when do your parents send you letters like that?" Scorpius raised an eyebrow, and the brunet shrugged as he grabbed the letter. "So? What is it?" He asked a moment later, watching a baby pink card be pulled out of the envelope and his friend's cheeks acquire much the same color.

"It's... You know..." He mumbled, letting the blond take the card from his hand.

Scorpius ran his eyes through the few words carefully written before raising his eyes to the Ravenclaw table and find the girl it had come from. The look he sent her was so cold and evil that the girl went from embarrassment blushing to terrified pale as she looked back down to her plate. He then turned his eyes back to Albus, who was equally focusing on his food, before getting up, throwing the card on the table and marching out of the hall, his backpack hanging precariously on his left shoulder.

"What was that all about?" Lynus asked, leaning towards Albus in an attempt to read the card the boy was trying to hide. "Oh! Somebody's got an admirer!" He said loud enough for everybody around to hear, making the brunet blush harder.

"Who is it, Albus?" The girl across the table from him asked with a smile, but he shook his head, refusing to answer.

"And why did Scorpius react like that?" The girl beside her asked. "It was like he was your boyfriend or something." She joked, and they both laughed.

"I'm sure it's nothing like that." He mumbled, also excusing himself from the table and heading for class.

As much as Albus tried, Scorpius refused to talk to him for the rest of the day, and went straight to practice after their last class, even if the rest of the team wouldn't be there for another hour. The brunet was about to follow him when the girl who sent him the card approached him, and after being as nice as he could to her - but making clear he wasn't interested, even though she was older and most of the boys his year and up wouldn't have given it a second thought-, he figured it was for the best to give his friend some space, and didn't attend practice that day. But nothing seemed to have changed when they met for dinner, and the blond went straight to bed after they returned to the dungeons. And Albus was getting tired of all that apparently unjustified attitude.

He waited until the other boys had gone to bed and made sure they were asleep before climbing into Scorpius's bed, where the boy was lying on his side, his back turned to Albus. The brunet sighed, sitting cross-legged beside the still body, and watched the other boy for long moments.

"Scorp, are you still awake?" He asked, and sighed again as he got no reply. "I know you're still awake. Please talk to me." There was still no reply, but the shift in position told Albus the boy was listening, and he smiled. "Do you want to talk about what happened today?" He waited a few minutes in silence. "Come on, Scorp." He said with a smile, poking the boy on the ribs with a finger. "Talk to me, Scorp." He continued, his smile growing as the tickling intensified and the blond began reacting, unable to keep still. "Come on... I know you want to..." He kept teasing the boy until the blond couldn't resist anymore and started laughing and squirming, trying to get away.

They didn't even seem aware that there were people sleeping as their laughter grew louder, Scorpius trying to grab the brunet's hands to stop him and Albus dodging his attempts and spreading his teasing around the blond's stomach and sides. After a few minutes, Scorpius finally managed to grab one of the hands attacking him and curled up in an attempt to make himself less vulnerable, but the only thing it got him was having Albus place each of his knees on one of his sides to keep him from doing that and attacking him even more fiercely. Another few minutes, and Albus had pinned down both his hands on his pillow, staring right into his eyes, smiling. Suddenly, the whole situation stopped being funny at all for Scorpius, who found himself holding his breath, the smile having disappeared from his lips and incapable of moving at all.

Noticing the change in his expression, Albus also stopped smiling. "What's wrong?" He asked as he climbed off his friend, being careful not to break eye contact.

Scorpius swallowed hard, turning his head as he watched the other boy lie beside him. "N-Nothing." He replied hesitantly.

They just looked at each other for long moments. "You know, even if I get a girlfriend, nothing has to change between us." He said quietly. "And I'm not interested in one anyway. You know that. No matter what, you'll always be my best friend." He smiled.

Scorpius couldn't decide whether to be happy about it or have his heart broken by yet another confirmation he was nothing more than a friend to the boy. "I-I know."

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong now?" He offered again.

"Nothing's wrong. I promise."

"You can trust me, you know."

"Thanks, Al. But I'm fine." He smiled, trying to sound convincing.

"Well... Whenever you want to, I'm right here, okay?" Albus rest a reassuring hand on his forearm, making him blush and look away. "Whatever it is, I'm here." He said quietly, resting his forehead against the side of Scorpius's head and his chin on the boy's shoulder, practically lying on the blond's arm, settling down for the night.

Scorpius couldn't move. Even if they'd been sharing a bed for roughly four years now, they'd never been that close together. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest, and his breathing became shallow, as he tried not to disturb the boy lying against him. When he finally dared to look at Albus, the boy was sound asleep with a soft smile on his face that spread to Scorpius, making him feel perfectly relaxed for the first time since classes started.

As much as he'd enjoyed the night they spent together, he didn't dare doing anything to make it happen again, nor did Albus volunteer to cuddle with him to sleep. And in the end, it felt like a mean joke, allowing him to get so close and then denying him what he wanted most, putting him even more on the edge.

As the weather grew colder and the end of the year approached, the run for the Quidditch Cup continued. The rain was pouring down that Saturday, but it didn't stop the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match from taking place. While all those in the bleachers tried to protect themselves the best they could and still see _something_, the players seemed almost oblivious to the downpour, fighting eagerly for the Quaffle and, for the most part, easily dodging the Bludgers, which seemed a little lazy to work under the rain.

Not more than fifteen minutes into the game, the lion house already leading by 20 points, Albus noticed his best friend making his way through the other students towards the stairs. He wasn't all too interested in the game anyway - he'd come only because of Scorpius -, so he quickly made his way after him. Once they were on the ground, he looked around for a moment, barely making out the blond's figure walking quickly towards the castle, and yelled out for him a couple of times, without any response. He ran a little to catch up, and even though now he was close enough to be sure the other boy could hear him, he was still being ignored.

"Scorpius! Stop!" He yelled over the loud noise, grabbing the boy by an arm and forcing him to turn around. His breathing was uneven from the exercise, and he bent over, his free hand on his knee, trying to catch his breath.

"What do you want, Albus?" The blond boy complained, avoiding the green eyes.

"I want you to talk to me! Tell me what's going on!"

"There's nothing going on. Can I go now?"

"Oh, stop being a jerk, Scorp! There's obviously something wrong with you! You barely talk to me anymore, and you keep giving me that attitude when I don't remember doing anything to deserve it, and that's when you're not avoiding me! What the hell is wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." He insisted, but didn't sound as certain as before.

"There is! And if you don't tell me what it is, I can't help you! And I'm your friend, that's what I'm here for!" He yelled frustrated, letting the boy go.

"You want to know what's wrong?" Scorpius asked, finally allowing his eyes to meet with Albus's. Despite the loud noise of the rain, he didn't have to yell to be heard. "I'll tell you what's wrong." Before the other boy could react, the blond had grabbed his face between his hands and planted his lips on the brunet's.

Albus protested into the kiss, pushing the other boy away after a moment and taking a couple of steps back, cleaning his lips on his sleeve. "What the hell was that for?"

"You wanted to know what's wrong, didn't you? Well, the problem is, I'm in love with my best friend, who'll never look at me that way, and who's now disgusted because he knows the truth." He explained, his voice sounding very sad. "So there you have it. So leave me alone now, okay?" He asked before turning around and running as fast as he could into the castle.

Albus stood there under the rain for a long time, trying to process what he'd just heard. After what seemed like hours, his feet began leading him back to the castle without his acknowledging it, and he was still in his soaked clothes when he threw himself onto his bed and fell asleep. But that negligence wouldn't go unnoticed, for when he woke up again, his head was pounding and all his whole body hurt. He groaned as he got back up, leaving his still moist clothes on the floor and changing into dry ones. As he left the Slytherin dungeons, he was divided between heading to the Great Hall for dinner - perhaps a nice warm meal would cure him, his stomach was, after all, raging - or going straight to the Hospital Wing. As he walked through the halls and the noise of students talking began reaching his ears, sounding louder than he'd remembered it could, he opted for the second choice.

Apart from the pain, he thought was fine, but as he made his way to see Madam Pomfrey, his head began spinning and he felt very dizzy, being forced to lean against a wall not to fall. He stumbled his way into the Hospital Wing, and opened the heavy doors with effort. It only took a moment for the old healer to see him and rush towards him, just in time to cast a spell over him to avoid him hitting his head on the floor as he passed out. She levitated him to an empty bed and ran diagnostic spells on him, before disappearing into through a door and coming back with three different potions to be ministered to the boy, all the while complaining about the imprudence of letting a foolish game of Quidditch proceed in such terrible weather conditions.

When Albus woke up, he realized all the pain he remembered was still there, and groaned as he tried to get up. He looked out the window and could see the moon high in the sky; he figured he must've slept for quite a few hours. Looking around, he saw flasks with the potions being ministered to him on his nightstand, and reached for them. The bottle nearest to him was Pepperup Potion; he'd taken it quite a few times whenever he had a cold, and would recognize it anywhere. The second bottle didn't seem like something he knew, and decided to return it to its place beside the other flask. The third and last phial contained a bluish liquid, and the smell was quite familiar to him, even though he couldn't figure out what it was. He wanted something for the pain, and that was the best of his choices, so he took a long sip before putting it back. Had he been thinking properly, he would never have taken a potion he couldn't identify, but his head hurt so bad it had woken him up and impaired his better judgment.

Whatever was on that flask, it worked remarkably well, for the boy fell asleep in a matter of minutes. When Albus woke up again, the sun shone brightly through the window, and he noticed the pain had diminished considerably as he sat up. He looked around for a moment, noticing other three beds occupied by students he didn't know, all of them younger than him, but he didn't have time for any other deductions when his stomach distracted him with a loud growl. He smiled and swung his feet off the bed, just as Madam Pomfrey entered the room and saw him.

"No, no, no, Mr. Potter! Back to bed, come on!" He waved energetically at him, quickly reaching his bed and forcing him under the covers. "You are not going anywhere, young man."

"But I'm fine now!" He complained, taking the potions he was being offered.

"No, you're not. I'm keeping you here at least for another night, and _if_ you behave, I'll let you go in the morning. Do you have any idea the condition you were when you arrived yesterday? You fainted, for Merlin's sake! Your fever was so high I don't know how you weren't hallucinating. And of course the potions made you feel better, but you're not leaving my sight until I'm sure it's nothing more serious." She said as she ran tests on him, a quill recording the results in a piece of parchment floating beside the healer.

"I'm sorry for the trouble." He muttered.

"Oh, child, it's alright." She smiled kindly, putting a hand to his forehead. "You no longer have a fever, and the tests show you've improved. Now rest, okay? I'll have an elf bring you something to eat."

Spending a whole day sitting in a hospital bed proved to be harder than Albus had imagined. He had already recovered too much to spend that time sleeping - as opposed to the other boy a couple of beds away, the only one left after the other two were discharged -, his siblings and cousins probably didn't even know he was there - it wasn't anything too serious after all, and it wasn't unusual for him not to see them during the weekends - and evidently Scorpius was still too mad at him come visit. And then he remembered what had happened with the boy, and the effort to try and put his thoughts back in place made his head start hurting again.

After long minutes trying not to think about anything, his headache began to dissipate, and he decided to try and tackle the subject once more. So his best friend was in love with him. Okay. That explained why he started pushing away since they'd returned to Hogwarts, why he avoided to look at him or spend time alone with him. Or why he always got angry when anybody brought up the subject of girls and who was interested on whom. And they had kissed. Well, he had been kissed, and then he pulled away and wiped the kiss and- that's what Scorpius meant by him being disgusted! He hadn't understood that, the gesture had been unconscious, but it was probably the only way it could be interpreted. He needed to apologize, he didn't mean to pass on that message, he was just... What was he doing? Why would he do that? Scorpius hadn't been the first to steal a kiss from him - for Merlin's sake, he'd done the same to the boy not too long ago! -, but he hadn't reacted that way before. So did that mean he was disgusted to have his best friend kiss him?

And Scorpius was a _boy_. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but he'd never thought about being with one. He'd never even been really interested in men before, even after so long watching the very fit players nearly (if not completely) naked in the changing room. But then again, he couldn't really say he was interested in women either; he never understood what James liked so much about those magazines with naked women on them. And then there was James. What would he say if he knew? It would probably be much like when he got into Slytherin, and that was too exhausting to deal with. Not to mention they were older now, so his brother would think he's even more the adult and therefore knows what's right and-

"Ah! Why did it have to happen?" He complained out loud, holding his head.

"What had to happen, Al?" Rose asked a few steps away, watching him with a smile.

"Rosie! Er, nothing, nothing happened." He smiled at her, but she didn't buy it.

"Well, something _must've_ happened, or you wouldn't be sitting here, would you?" She kept smiling as she took the chair beside his bed.

"Oh, that. I, uh, was a bit careless with the rain yesterday. It's just a cold or something, I'll be out of here in time for class tomorrow."

"I'm glad it's just that then." She chuckled, and he attempted a smile, but wasn't too successful. For some reason, he found her very annoying at that moment, and bored as he was before, he just wished to be left alone again. "Has anyone come to visit yet? It must be really boring to be alone. Maybe I can ask your friend to get some of your books, so you're not late with homework?"

"I'm fine, Rosie, seriously."

"Well, I could ask him anyway, if you want me to. Since it doesn't seem he's been here, there's nothing of yours here."

"He's probably just busy. Besides, I've already finished most of my homework, and I can do the rest during the week."

"Really? We had quite a lot of essays to write this week."

"I know we did. And I said I've finished them already, so drop it, okay?" He sounded annoyed, and she tried to hide her hurt feelings behind a smile.

"I see."

"Oh, come on." He looked at her for another moment before looking away. "Fine. I'm sorry I talked to you like that, okay? But I'm tired, and I'd like to get some rest."

"Oh. Sorry to disturb you, then." She said standing up and walking away without another word.

Albus rolled his eyes. "Girls..." He muttered, lying back down to try and sleep.

Needless to say, he couldn't fall asleep, and his thoughts quickly returned to Scorpius once again. Rose's visit had reminded him of the blond's expression before he ran away, which he'd forgotten completely about until then. He was hurt, just the same as the girl, but much, much deeper. He looked so sad Albus could almost hear his own heart breaking at the mere memory. Quite some friend he was turning out to be, doing that to Scorpius. He should've said something, he thought. He should've done something. But what?


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

After arguing with Albus, Scorpius ran into the castle and up the Astronomy tower, looking for isolation. He didn't want to see anybody, he didn't want to talk to anybody, and he most certainly didn't want the tears flowing down his cheeks. He'd been so stupid! Why did he have to do that? And the way Albus looked at him... He never knew it could hurt so much.

He sat with his feet dangling out the parapet, his eyes lost on the horizon and the wind playing with his wet hair and blowing even more rain over him. He soon started to freeze, but he wasn't even aware of it, torn between blaming himself and accounting for everything he gave up in the heat of the moment. Soon, his tears mixed up with the water dripping from his hair, and eventually they stopped, and replacing them was an unprecedented sense of emptiness .

He'd considered all possible scenarios, and what happened fit the worst of them. Ideally, he wouldn't have said anything, it would've gone away and they'd go back to being best friends. But he had to open his mouth and now he'd lost the only friend he'd ever had, and it served him well to be in so much pain, he thought. If he'd just apologized for his behavior, and worked a little harder at covering up his feelings, he wouldn't be sitting there all alone. Maybe he'd still be watching the match, maybe they'd be nice and warm by the fire in their common room, and certainly they'd be sharing his bed later that night. All things he'd never have again.

Well, at least it was out there now, he tried to convince himself. No more secrets, no more pretending. And no more Albus, that annoying voice in the back of his head replied.

When Scorpius came down from the tower, it was mid-afternoon already, and the rain had finally stopped, though the sky was still dark grey and very threatening. He only realized he'd skipped a meal when his stomach raged a few minutes later, and he cast a drying and warming spell over himself before heading to the kitchen. He was feeling bad enough without getting sick, and he didn't want anybody to see him in such state and try to force him to talk. He wouldn't bear it.

After pleading a little, he left the elves with a sandwich and a glass of hot cocoa, for which he was very thankful. He considered heading to his common room, but he was still a little scared of meeting Albus on his way, and he definitely wasn't in the mood to be around anybody. Instead, he just sat on some dusty steps around the corner from the kitchen, and ate quietly, trying not to think about anything.

He ended up falling asleep against the cold stone, his body, exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster he'd been through, finally giving in. When he woke up again, his body was sore from the uncomfortable position he'd spent the last few of hours in, and he took a few minutes to stretch before walking out of the now extremely dark hall. Dinner was almost over by the time he reached the Great Hall, and most tables were practically empty, for which he was very glad. He sat down on one end, running his eyes inattentively around the room as he forced some food down. He wasn't hungry, but he knew he'd regret not eating, because he knew he'd probably stay up all night ruminating his actions.

Scorpius took a couple of deep breaths before entering his common room, his head immediately starting to hurt from the noise of people talking around him. His eyes went straight away in search of his best friend, even though he had no idea what he'd do if he actually found the boy, and couldn't help being disappointed not to see him anywhere. None of the other students seemed to notice his presence as he made his way to his dorm, where changed into his pajamas in silence and hid behind the thick, dark green curtains around his bed.

Albus wasn't in the dorm either, was his first thought when his head hit the pillow. He was probably with one of those Gryffindors, who all seemed to be part of his family. Probably telling them all about what he'd done, what he felt, and laughing at him with them. Consulting them as to how he could stay away from him, making plans and plotting against him. And whatever he got, he would deserve it, he told himself.

No! That's not Albus, and you know that!, he thought vehemently, shaking his head. He's your friend, he'd never do that to you. Or would he? Because Scorpius suddenly felt like he didn't know the boy at all anymore, not after the way he reacted. Because evidently he wasn't the same boy who cuddled him to sleep, or who stole his first kiss. Perhaps he wasn't even the same boy he fell for anymore, he thought almost hopefully. And then it may be easier to get over him after all.

Who was he trying to fool? Albus could become the nastiest student in the school, and he'd still love him more than anyone. It would only take the brunet one glance, one word, and Scorpius would do whatever he wanted. Even stay away forever, if he asked. He loved him that much.

The blond rolled in his bed, letting out a low, frustrated groan, before entering his self-blaming cycle again. About an hour later, he heard the door open and close, and the voices of Lynus and Thales still discussing the game as they got ready to bed. He couldn't hear Albus, so either he still hadn't come back, or wasn't in the mood to talk. Two equally probable options. Soon the room fell into silence again as they boys fell asleep, and for the best part of the night, Scorpius waited apprehensively for the door to open again, to let him know Albus had returned, but when he finally fell asleep, nothing had changed except for the sun that started to rise.

When he woke up again, he was alone in the room, and he rubbed his sore eyes strongly as he sat up on the bed, reaching for his watch on the bedside table. It was almost lunch time, and he stretched lazily, wondering why Albus hadn't woken his up earlier, and where he might be. Perhaps the library, or one of the courtyards with Frankie or-

When the memories from the previous day finally sank in, he shook his head very hard, wishing it'd been a nightmare and it would go away. But he knew very well what he'd done, and after biting his tongue not to let out a short parade of insults to himself, he got up and dressed, marching to the Great Hall and shooting cold glances at anyone who dared look his way. This time, the room was packed full, and he spent the whole meal searching both his table and Gryffindor's in search of Albus, with no success. The only thing he picked up were the hateful looks from Rose and Lily, to which he rolled his eyes. It happened every time.

"Hey, Scorpius, have you seen Albus?" Lynus asked as he took a sit beside the blond.

"Why?"

"Nobody's seen him since yesterday at the match." Thales replied with a shrug, reaching for the tray of meat. "We figured you might know what's up with that."

"I'm sure he's just busy studying or something. Maybe you should check the library." He replied with his most confident smile, standing up. He desperately wanted to believe in the veracity of his own words, but the newly-acquired information made his heart jump on his chest. What if something happened to Albus after Scorpius left him alone in the rain? He'd never forgive himself.

Even though he was completely worried about Albus, he still couldn't make up his mind whether or not to go looking for the boy. He didn't know how to face him after what he'd done, and instead chose to try and work on some essays they were due that week. Not that he actually believed he'd get much done. But it turned out the distraction was very welcome, and when he realized it, he'd finished everything he had to do and it was already dinner time. As he put his things away, he also realized there had been no news about Albus.

Scorpius was already in bed, his curtains closed once again and decided to go looking for Albus the next morning no matter what if nobody told him what was going on, when he heard the brunet's very familiar voice. The other two boys had already retired to the dorm, but were sitting on Lynus's bed, talking, when Albus entered the room.

"Where were you, Albus? We were worried, we haven't seen you in two days!" He heard Thales say.

"I wasn't careful enough with all the rain yesterday, and ended up in the Hospital Wing." Scorpius could almost see the boy sticking out his tongue and making a face, and he smiled at the thought. "I was fine this morning, but Madam Pomfrey wanted to keep me there just in case." He explained.

"But you're completely recovered now?"

"Yeah, I'm good." The blond was sure Albus had smiled the way he loved to watch, and felt his chest hurt as he realized it was very likely that smile would never be directed to him again.

"Why didn't Scorpius say anything?" He heard Lynus ask. "We could've come to visit or something."

"Right?" Thales agreed. "He said you were in the library."

"That's..." Albus hesitated for a moment, and Scorpius bit his lower lip in anticipation. "Because I asked him not to. I didn't want anybody to worry."

"Well, I wouldn't have minded, really." Thales replied. "Let us know next time, okay? We worry more when we don't know what's going on."

"I'll keep that in mind." He heard Albus say, and then there was the sound of his pillows being moved, and he knew the boy was getting ready to bed. "Good night, guys." Then came the sound of the brunet's curtains closing, and he rolled to the other side, uncomfortable. Albus had gotten sick because of him. So much for taking care of his best friend, he thought before falling asleep.

The weeks flew by after their kiss, and the boys still weren't talking to one another. Sometimes it seemed like one of them was about to say something, but their courage failed them and the moment was gone. But talking wasn't the only thing that had changed between them. They never teamed up for assignments anymore, and Scorpius was always already in bed when Albus went to the dorm. They didn't sit near each other during meals, and they'd stopped sharing the bed on the weekends. As much as the brunet admitted that last habit should've stopped long ago, it was weirdly comforting, and he didn't know he could miss it so much until it happened. His bed felt too big and too cold, but he feared to admit even to himself just how much he missed the proximity they shared.

Their relationship wasn't the only thing that changed for the younger Potter boy either. The blond began consuming his every thought, to the point where he'd forget to eat sometimes when he went for walks to clear his head (just to come back even more confused than he was before). More than once he forgot to wear coats, and the increasingly cold wind had him wake up with a headache and a runny nose the following morning. But he still couldn't talk to Scorpius. He still had no idea what he could say to make things return to what they used to be.

He was very surprised when he heard the Potions Master ask him to stay after class one afternoon, though he shouldn't have been: at least his last three potions had been nothing short of disastrous, and if he'd bothered to keep count, he probably was the one losing the most points for Slytherin. Even in Snape's class. He couldn't help noticing the glance Scorpius sent him, slightly worried about him, before turning around and disappearing in the mass of students exiting the room. Albus smiled softly as he finished putting his things away.

"Follow me to my office." Snape instructed, and they went quietly through a side door. The room they entered wasn't too big, but wasn't small either, and its main feature was the large wooden desk, where they sat each on one side. "Is there anything you..." He began, carefully choosing his words. It was very convenient how students cowered merely to the sound of his voice, but it didn't help when he was trying to gain their trust. "... would like to talk about?"

"Uh, no, sir." He replied quietly, his eyes on his hands playing with one another.

"I couldn't help noticing your increasingly poorer performance on my class during the last month." He encouraged, but the boy didn't reply. "And I've talked to the rest of the staff, and it seems Potions isn't the only subject you're having problems with."

"I-I'm really sorry, sir. I-I'll try not to let it happen again."

"As I'm well-aware, you, along with Mr. Malfoy, were the two best students of your year in Slytherin, and I dare say in your year in general. So I find it very worrying that you're suddenly incapable of even keeping up with the rest of the class, Mr. Potter."

"I've just been distracted lately." He tried to smile, but immediately gave up when his eyes met the black ones. "It won't happen again."

"Are you in some kind of trouble, Mr. Potter? Perhaps it's something I can help you with it?"

"You don't have to worry, sir. I'm not in any trouble."

"Evidently you are, or else we wouldn't be having this conversation. If you keep your academic performance as it is, you'll most certainly fail your mid-terms, and possibly lose the year. And might I add, in all the centuries the school's been open, not one Slytherin student has ever been held back."

"I won't be the first, sir, I promise."

"Either way, I would like you to ask your friend, Mr. Malfoy, to tutor you, at least until you recover your previous performance."

"Yes, sir."

Severus sighed weakly, knowing he'd probably gotten nowhere with the boy. "Very well, then. You may leave."

Albus nodded and made his way out the door, having already forgotten most of what had been said. The one thing he retained was the advice to seek Scorpius, and all he could think about was the current impossibility of that deed.

Though it was the first, it certainly wasn't the last time he'd be called by a professor to be lectured on his distraction and rapidly plummeting grades. After talking to his Head of House two more times, even the Headmistress had him go to her office and have tea and biscuits while hearing all about the other students who suddenly began doing poorly in school due to personal problems and how quickly they recovered once they allowed the staff to help them. And all he could reply to that was that there was nothing wrong in his personal life that could be causing such problems. And though even he knew they didn't believe him, there was nothing to be done if he refused to address the matter.

Things had also changed for Scorpius, and every moment he wasn't distracted meant another moment blaming himself for what he'd done. Of course it would happen, he kept telling himself. He couldn't pull it together, and now Albus wouldn't even look at him, let alone do anything else. He felt very much like before he went to school, lonely and isolated, and to avoid the pain it brought, he began working even harder at both Quidditch and school. Maybe, if he kept his mind busy enough, it would hurt a little less.

"Hey, Scorpius? What happened to Albus? I haven't seen him around." One of the players asked, about two weeks after they stopped talking to each other. As school became more demanding, it wasn't too unusual for the brunet not to show up, but never so many times in a row.

"Busy with school. After all, he has to study for both of us, right?" He joked and tried to smile, looking away.

"That's the kind of friend I'd like! Can't you get me one of those?" The boy joked back before heading into the showers.

Scorpius sighed. "Just wish I could get mine back." He mumbled before heading to the shower himself.

He wasn't sure why, but he didn't want everybody to know they'd fought and weren't even in speaking terms. Maybe he feared someone would make him talk about it - or listen to the same old useless advices -, but whenever asked about the brunet, he came up with an excuse for him. But it wasn't hard for anyone to notice the reality, and soon nobody asked him about Albus anymore. Nobody even talked to him properly anymore, and it was his own fault for making the brunet his only friend.

Unaware as he was of the rest of the world, Albus didn't see that his sister and cousins noticed his behavioral change. They saw he didn't smile anymore, and Rose was surprised at how many points he started losing during class - and worst of all, not caring about it. She had hated the Malfoy boy since he and Albus became friends, but at least then her cousin seemed happy. Now they weren't talking, and the boy was miserable. And she was decided to do something about it, regardless if it was her place or not to do so.

She approached the brunet one afternoon, when she found him in a courtyard with a book forgotten on his lap and his eyes staring at nothing in particular.

"Hey, Al. What's up?" She smiled, sitting next to him.

He looked at her, but barely seemed to see her. "Hi, Rosie." He replied, closing the book and watching his hands play with the cover.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He tried to smile, but wasn't convincing at all.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"You know you can talk to me, right? About anything?"

"I know, Rosie. Thanks. But there's nothing to talk about."

She looked at him for a moment, in silence, and he seemed to have gotten lost in his own thoughts again. "It was that boy, wasn't it? Malfoy?"

"It's not his fault." He said as firmly as he could.

"So it was him."

"No. It wasn't."

"Whatever he's done, Al, you can tell me. And we'll get James and the others, and he'll never do anything to you, ever again." She threatened.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on him, you hear me?" His voice was low, and the redhead cowered a little under his look. For the first time in weeks, he seemed to be very present, and at least for now, very determined. "I'll never forgive you if there's a single scratch on him. Not your or James or anybody else." He completed before standing up and walking away, leaving a sighing girl behind.

Now she knew the cause of the problem, regardless f Albus's threats, she was determined to make it right for her cousin. They were leaving a joint Potions class one afternoon when she pulled a protesting blond boy to an empty hallway and stood frowning at him.

"What do you want, Weasley?" He asked exasperated. "If you're just going to stand there looking at me, I've better things to do."

"What have you done to Albus?"

"Albus? Nothing."

"You have. He's changed, he's unhappy, and it's all your fault."

"Whatever happened, it's none of your business, Weasley. And don't come blaming your problems on me, okay? And stay out of other people's businesses." He turned to leave, but she grabbed him by the arm.

"I am going to find out what you've done, and when I do, be sure I'll make you pay for it, Malfoy." She let go of him and walked past him.

"It's none of your business, Weasley!" He called after her. "Stay out of it!"

The blond boy shook his head and took a deep breath to calm down before walking back to the main corridor, just to be approached by his Head of House.

"Mr. Malfoy? Can I have a word with you?"

"Uh, sure, Professor." He smiled briefly, trying to gather all his patience. The last thing he needed was to end up in detention for talking back to a professor.

They walked past the Potions Classroom and entered Snape's office, where the older man pointed to a chair on one side of the desk before sitting on the other, waving his wand and making some tea appear between them. Snape just looked at his student for long minutes, studying him, his own drink lying untouched.

"Um, how may I help you, Professor?" Scorpius asked after a while, his discomfort growing.

"What is going on with Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I beg your pardon?" He almost chocked on the biscuit he was eating, and took a few sips to wash away the sensation.

"As his Head of House, I must inquire on his recent change of behavior and, most importantly, the deterioration of his academic performance. And as I'm aware, you _are_ Mr. Potter's best friend, so I would believe that, if anyone would know what is happening, it would be you."

"With all the due respect, sir, why don't you ask him?" He suggested, avoiding to look the other man in the eye.

"I have, Mr. Malfoy. But he'll insist there's nothing wrong."

"Well, I don't know anything either, I'm sorry."

"Needless to say, it is more than obvious that the boy is lying. Especially considering where he comes from, that is no surprise. But I would like to believe that, if you were to know what sort of trouble Mr. Potter is involved in, you would tell me immediately."

"Absolutely, sir. But unfortunately, I don't know any more than you do."

Snape looked at the boy for a very long moment before speaking again. "Very well, then. You are free to go." His lips almost curled up in an entertained smile at the relief the boy showed, and he called as his pupil had one hand on the doorknob. "I am concerned for Mr. Potter. I only want what's best for my students, Mr. Malfoy."

"I know, sir. I-I'll let you know if I find out anything." He nodded briefly without turning around and left in silence.

Snape shook his head slightly, rubbing his temples. The students were more troublesome every year, and it was always up to him to deal with their problems. And of course the students in his house wouldn't be the kind who simply open up and let him help; they always made him waste efforts to find out for himself that they were depressed over being dumped or some equally unimportant matter. Sighing, he reached into the first drawer and pulled out a pack of essays waiting to be graded, and tried to get his mind off foolish teenage problems.

It seemed to Albus that the longer they spent without talking, the harder it was for them to approach each other again. It was even harder than when they first met, and the brunet was so scared of saying the wrong thing and having to witness that hurt expression again that most of the time he would give up any conversation before he even had the chance to start it. But he still watched Scorpius from afar, and could see he wasn't the same as he remembered him. Thinking back, even though they were friendly with the two boys they shared their dorm with, none of them really had other friends. So just like him, the blond was always walking around alone, eating on his own in one end of the table and pairing up with anybody who happened to be sitting beside him. And Albus couldn't help feeling guilty for putting the boy through that, not acknowledging his situation to be just as tragic.

Sometimes when he lay in bed at night and thought back to that day, if he was distracted enough, his fingers would run through his lips as he tried to recall the feeling of being kissed by Scorpius. But it was like trying to remember a dream; the harder he tried, the farther away he felt from reality, and soon wasn't able to tell if it was good or bad, if maybe - just maybe - he'd want another one, or if he should just bury it in the back of his mind. But usually when he turned around to try and sleep, his lips would tingle just like they had that day. And he would fall asleep with a smile on his face.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

_"Mr. and Mrs. Potter,_

_I come through this to inform you of the recent and worrying change on the behavior of your youngest son, Albus Severus Potter. As his Head of House, I've had the opportunity to observe him closely, however, all the professors have noticed his uncharacteristic attitudes. Apparently, he's been very isolated from his friends, and all his professors have reported a decrease in his productivity, both in class and concerning his homework._

_As the main professor in charge of his welfare, I have repeatedly inquired him about what might be affecting him, as has the Headmistress, but Mr. Potter refused to discuss the matter, and none of his housemates are able to supply me with more information._

_Although this has been going on for the past two months, only now I chose to contact you, as it isn't unusual for the students to have certain personal problems as they grow up, and I didn't want to fuel it by making a fuss out of it. However, the persistent behavior and refusal to discuss the matter at all have me worried he might be in serious trouble, and the extensive damage it's causing on his grades and general academic performance leave no more time to be wasted._

_While it is the norm for the staff not to interfere in the students' personal matters, I am very concerned on the way it has reflected on his academic life, and thus would like to request a meeting with you. If it is convenient, I suggest we meet next Saturday afternoon in my office at Hogwarts._

_Please inform me of your decision regarding the meeting so the proper arrangements can be made._

_Respectfully,_

_Professor Severus Snape_

_Deputy Headmaster_

_Master of Potions of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Head of House of Slytherin._

* * *

Harry was sitting at his desk at the Ministry when a Hogwarts owl knocked on the closed window. It was almost November, and the weather that year was colder than it used to be, forcing them to shelter themselves behind closed doors and warming charms. The man patted the animal on the head a couple of times before retrieving his mail; he wondered who had given James detentions this time. The last time, it had been Williamson, his Head of House, for an apparently pretty vicious prank he'd pulled on some first-years, leaving them with horrible pus-filled purple blisters and orange skin, and it'd taken Madam Pomfrey a couple of hours just to calm the children enough for her to evaluate the damage. He had sent James a letter, but no matter how many of his privileges were cut, it didn't have the same impact of a face-to-face talk, which would be needed as soon as his older son got back.

He distractedly opened the envelope, to find a very uncharacteristic handwriting, which he had to put some effort into recognizing. It wasn't the standard school calligraphy - he wondered who wrote the school letters, because it wasn't any of his professors' writing -, but it was very clear and elegant. Of course he could've cheated and looked at the signature at the bottom of the page, but it didn't take him that much to figure out. It was a personal letter addressed to him from none other than Severus Snape.

He was surprised to be contacted about Albus, because the boy had always had an exemplary behavior at school - Harry even suspected he might become a Prefect when he became a fifth-year -, and couldn't help worrying at what he read. It was true that Albus's letters had become more scarce, but so had James's around the same time, and he figured he was just growing up and needed his space, or perhaps was too busy with school. Ginny had worried a little more than him, but Hermione had reassured her it was normal - even Rose was writing less, only once a week! - and they let it be pushed to the back of their minds. Now Harry feared he'd neglected something important and because of it, Albus felt he couldn't rely on him to discuss his problems.

He couldn't really think of anything else for the rest of the day, and the reports in front of him seemed more obnoxious than ever. When he finally returned home, he even thought about not telling Ginny until he had more details on the situation, so she wouldn't freak out over something - hopefully - harmless, but he knew his actions would betray him. Their meal was tense; especially since Lily had gone to Hogwarts, they had completely lost that complicity they used to share. They weren't much more than two people who happened to share children, and it made it all the harder to approach any subject, let alone those concerning their kids.

"Harry? Harry!" Ginny called after a while, seeing how distracted her husband was. She had been trying to tell him about the response to her latest article, but he didn't even seem to be pretending to listen.

"W-what?" He shook his head to clear his thoughts and smiled at her.

"Is there anything wrong? You're more distracted than usual."

"Actually... I think there might be." He said with a sigh, searching his pockets for the letter.

"What is it?" She asked anxiously, watching him offer her a letter. "James got detention again? I'm telling you, we have to-"

"It's not James. It's Albus."

"Albus?" She frowned a little in confusion, opening the envelope and quickly running her eyes through the letter. "Merlin! Something really serious must've happened to him! That's not like him at all!" She stood up, preoccupied.

"Calm down, Gin." He asked with a smile, also getting up. "We'll go talk to Snape on Saturday, I'm sure everything will be sorted out."

"Should we wait that long? I'm sure McGonagall wouldn't object-"

"Gin, he's not in danger or anything. I'm sure we'll find out he's just upset because of James or something. "

"You think so?"

"Look, if it was anything _really_ serious, we would be there already. Sure we'll have to talk to him about it, but I'm positive we'll find out is just something related to his growing up. I guess you remember how that feels like." He smiled at her, and she weakly returned. "I was just thinking that he hasn't been writing us as much as he used to, earlier. But again, I'm sure he's just been busy."

"Well, it was the same with James after all." She sat back down and started moving the food left in her plate around with the fork, having lost all her appetite. "I'll just have to let Hermione know I won't be able to go with her to Diagon Alley."

"Well, you can go if you want. I mean, it's just a meeting with Snape anyway, so-"

"I want to be there, Harry. It's my son, I want to-"

"I'm meeting with Snape, not with Albus. And I promise I'll relay to you whatever he tells me as soon as I'm back, okay?"

"I'll be there, Harry." She said firmly, standing up again and pacing around. "I knew it wasn't a good idea to have him in Slytherin. He needs protection, I'll bet those kids did something to him, and without James around to protect him-"

"Gin, I'm sure it's nothing like that. And we discussed already that he needs to stand up for himself, remember?"

"He's just a boy, Harry!" She looked alarmed at him. "He's my little boy! He's too sensitive to be in the middle of that snake pit, I knew he'd end up hurt-"

"Stop it, Gin! Stop blaming people we don't even know if had anything to do with it! Just because our experience with Slytherins was bad-"

"They _are _bad, Harry! Evil! With that nasty superiority complex and-"

"Who's pretending to be superior now?" He looked seriously at her, and she looked back in -anger, not knowing how to reply. After a long moment, he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? Of course you should be there. I've already sent an owl to Snape, and we'll go together. How about that?"

She stared at him for a few minutes, then grabbed her plate and glass, leaving them in the sink. "The dishes are yours today." She said before exiting the room, still looking very cross.

"Aren't they always?" He mumbled to himself, waving his wand silently and watching the dishes clean themselves.

The day of the meeting came sooner than they expected, and the two of them entered their fireplace - which had been temporarily connected to one of Hogwarts fireplaces - in silence, and walked from the Entrance Hall down to the dungeons still without a word. The castle was very silent, unlike what they remembered when they thought about the time they spent there, and assumed it must be a Hogsmeade visit day. The dungeons still gave Harry shivers, and a quick glance to his side told him the redhead felt exactly the same way. He knocked a couple of times on the office door before Snape's voice resonated from the inside telling them to come in. Harry opened the door and let Ginny enter first, closing the door behind himself.

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter. Please have a seat." He said standing up behind his desk and pointing to the two chairs in front of it.

"How are you, Professor?" Harry smiled cordially, making the other two rise their eyebrows.

"Shall we go straight to business, Mr. Potter?"

"Uh, sure." He nodded briefly.

"I would've asked your son to be here, but I believe it would make him feel intimidated and shut us out even more." He explained briefly. "As of the past two months, as I've said in the letter, Mr. Potter's behavior has changed remarkably for the worse. All his professors have reported he no longer pays attention in class, often causes disturbances when attempting spells, potions and other sorts of application of theoretical knowledge and hasn't turned in his homework for weeks now, no matter how many times he is reminded of it. Outside the classroom, we've observed he no longer interacts with his peers - at least not with the expected frequency or intensity -, has, in more than one occasion skipped meals, as the elves have reported, and has become sick more often than all the other students. He is also no longer seen in company of Mr. Malfoy, and looks very dispirited. Both Minerva and myself have inquired him, and we're very worried about his lack of interest and concern with his academic performance, as well as his refusal to address the matter."

"Has anything in particular happened? Maybe some disagreement with some other student?" Harry asked before Ginny could make any accusations.

Snape shook his head. "Nothing has been seen or reported, as far as the staff is aware."

Harry nodded briefly. "None of my children or nephews and nieces have said anything about Albus either."

"We have avoided to give him detentions for his lack of attention and the accidents it's caused, because we would like him to come forward with his problems, but I fear we won't be able to do that for much longer. As nothing else seems to work, perhaps detentions will help him focus on what's important."

"You're not even going to give him a chance to come to us? To talk to his own parents? That's very much like Slytherins, isn't it now?" Ginny complained, and Snape narrowed his eyes.

Before they could get into a discussion, Harry interfered. "I'm sure that's not what he meant, Gin." He smiled at the redhead. "You heard him, they've been giving him every opportunity for the past two months. We'll talk to him, of course, but I'm not sure how much it'll help. And if it doesn't, something else will have to be done, and the only other instrument professors have is detention." Snape raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Ginny kept looking at him doubtfully. "Are the children at Hogsmeade?"

The Potions Master nodded. "But I believe your son has chosen to stay in the castle."

"Do you think it'd be a good idea to talk to him now?" Harry asked, gaining a reproving look from his wife.

"If the situation is bad enough to have us come all the way here, we need to talk to him immediately!" She urged, but Snape shook his head.

"Ultimately, it is your decision, but I fear Mr. Potter might feel cornered and get defensive instead of opening up. On the other hand, I believe it would be very hard for him to recover his grades if we let this continue for much longer."

Harry nodded. "I agree it'd be better to wait until we're home to talk to him, I'm sure he'd be more comfortable. I don't want him to feel like he's being punished." Ginny looked outraged, and opened her mouth to protest, but he interrupted her. "However, I am very uncomfortable with the idea of doing nothing. Perhaps we could write him? Give him the chance to talk, if he wants, without putting too much pressure on him?"

"What if it doesn't work? Merlin knows we never paid any attention to mom's letters." Ginny argued.

"As I've said, we'll have to start punishing him. There is only another month to go, and perhaps some time away from school will do him some good."

"Are you sure nothing happened? Perhaps between him and some other Slytherin? Because I'm sure that Malfoy boy's had something to do with it."

"_Mr._ Malfoy has-" Snape started, sounding very annoyed, but Harry interrupted him.

"It's more likely that James said or did something than he and Scorpius had a disagreement, Gin. You know how the boys have been with each other since they came to school."

"All because of that Malfoy-"

"Let's not get into that again, okay?" Harry asked, tired, and smiled weakly to see Snape appreciated that as well. "It leads us nowhere. The important thing here is that we help Albus, isn't it?" Ginny reluctantly nodded. "Good. I believe that would be all, Professor?"

"I believe so, Mr. Potter." Snape nodded.

"Good. Shall we go then, Gin?" He asked, standing up. She sighed before agreeing. "Thank you for informing us, Professor. Please let us know if there are any developments, for better or for worse."

Snape nodded briefly. "Naturally."

"Have a good day." Harry half-smiled as he held the door open for his wife and, not getting any reply from the man who'd already turned his attention to something else, closed the door behind himself.

As soon as they arrived home, the two of them were off to write their letters, which would probably be delivered with the evening post. Harry had a strong suspicion of what was causing Albus's change of behavior, but couldn't bring himself to mention it in writing - considering how defensive the boy had been last time he tried, when things were still fine between the boys, he figured his son would never speak to him again if he had. But as expected, the boy replied he was fine and there was nothing to worry about - which only made Ginny even more worried, and she ran to her brother and sister-in-law, who immediately activated Rose's attentive eyes (and pleasure in minding other people's business) to report the situation to them. Not that the girl had much to tell.

Harry spent most of the week thinking about the meeting with Snape and everything he'd observed - and learned from the letters he re-read -, and felt the need to share all that grow. He didn't know who he could trust and, in a whim, he sent a letter to the Potions Master requesting another meeting. He knew the man, first of all, wasn't a good person to talk to about... pretty much anything. He also knew Snape was probably extremely busy, and probably very unwilling to talk to him, given their past. And that the professor had no reason to take any interest in the subject. So he couldn't be more surprised to receive a note accepting his request.

"I see _Mrs. Potter_ didn't join you today." Severus said almost sarcastically, pointing to a chair across the desk from him as he entered the man's office. His desk was covered in parchment, and he finished correcting the essay he was working on before waving his wand over them to put them away and looking at Harry.

"I... Don't think she should know about this." He replied, taking a seat and observing the other man.

"You don't believe she would be interested in information concerning her own son?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Not this information, no." He smiled slightly embarrassed.

"And why is that?" He asked, amused.

"Well... You know she's not, hm, a fan of Scorpius, and it's about him as well."

"Very well. What is it, then?"

"I think I know what's going on with Albus." He started, and proceeded to describe everything he'd seen and all his theories.

Once he begun, he couldn't stop himself until he was finished, feeling a great sense of relief to finally put that out of his chest. Surprisingly, Snape listened to all he had to say in silence, occasionally nodding in agreement or acknowledgement, and though he said that, if that was the case, there wasn't much he could do, he also asked to be kept on the loop on the matter at least until things had returned to normal.

* * *

When Albus received the letters from his parents, he wasn't too sure how to react. At first, he thought it'd been Rose telling on him, as she had confronted him more than once about his change of behavior, but was very surprised to find out professor Snape had summoned his parents. The last thing he needed was to have Harry and Ginny sit him down and lecture him on how school was important and how he could talk to them about anything (as they had already in the letters, and he knew they would once he returned home), because he honestly didn't feel he could talk to anybody about everything that was going on between him and Scorpius. It was too personal, too important, and, perhaps most relevant of all, he couldn't even put his thoughts in order, so let alone express them in coherent words.

He had already (though very vaguely) noticed his academic performance was suffering from his inability to deal with his issues, and as the mid-term exams approached, he decided he was going to study. So every night, he'd come back from dinner, sit by the fire with a book open on his lap, as did most other students... And read about five lines before either having his mind wander off or falling asleep. Whichever it was, he'd remember his goal about an hour later, just to encounter the same ending, and maybe once or twice more before giving up for the night and going to bed.

As little and ruptured as his studying had been, he miraculously did well enough to not to fail, even though it would bring down considerably his overall average. Not that he was concerned in the least about that.

He packed his things a day in advance, in order to avoid being around his roommates, and spent the last day at Hogwarts mostly outside, feeling the cold winter breeze play with his hair and letting the low noises of the few creatures who dared go out distract him. As much as they could. Which wasn't much. Lost in thought, his feet led him to the remote spot by the lake he used to spend long hours with Scorpius at, and though he shouldn't have been, he was surprised to find the blond boy there.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were already here." He said quietly, turning around.

"You don't have to go, you know." Scorpius called after him. He was lying on his back, a conjured blanket protecting him from the melting snow and an arm over his eyes to protect himself from the sun shining bright above him.

Albus turned back, but avoided looking at the other boy. "Honestly, I do, I still have to-"

"I'm not going to force you. But you don't have to leave just because you saw me."

"That's not it, seriously, I just remembered I had to, hm..."

"It's okay." Scorpius said with a sad smile, standing up and patting his clothes a little, to clean the little snow the wind had put on him. "You stay, and I'll go. I actually have to pack, so I might as well do that now."

"No, Scorp, it's cool, really. You stay and-" He argued as the boy walked past him.

"You stay. I'll go." He smiled again, moving a few steps away before stopping and turning around to the boy who was taking his place, lying exactly as he was. "Al... How are you?" He asked quietly, watching the brunet avoid his gaze.

"I'm fine, why?" He asked, sounding less confident than he'd like.

"I... Nothing." Scorpius shook his head with a smile. "I'm glad you're fine. Have a nice Winter Break."

"Uh, yeah, you too." Albus tried to smile back, watching the other boy walk away until he disappeared from his sight.

He sighed. It was the first time he talked to Scorpius at all since everything happened between them, and it hadn't gone at all as well as he would've liked it to. The first thing that came to his mind was that he should've apologized. Even though he still hadn't figured out why he reacted the way he did, it was unfair to his best friend, to say the least. And... they should've talked it through. But how could he, when his every thought contradicted the last? If only he could talk to his best friend and have him help sort out his thoughts.

He rolled to one side, frustrated, and Scorpius's perfume invaded his nostrils. The blanket he was on smelled like the boy, and Albus couldn't help smiling at the memory on that split second before his conscience took over and he realized how much he missed it - and how much it was his fault. He stayed outside until it was lunchtime, and he carefully put away the blanket in his suitcase before heading to the Great Hall.

His eyes met Scorpius's as he entered the room, but only for a brief moment as the two of them almost immediately looked away. Albus blushed slightly, and sat down rather far from the blond boy, eating in silence and retreating to his dorm immediately after he was done eating. It was probably the first time he retired to bed before his friend, and he kept his eyes on the door waiting anxiously for the other boy. He had no idea why he was doing that, but he wanted to see the blond enter. Except, when he did, Albus turned his back at him, hiding his face in his pillow, but listening carefully until he heard the curtains around the other bed being closed. He turned back with a sigh. If he kept reacting like that, he'd never get his best friend back.

The ride back was very strange for both boys. It was the first time they weren't together, and as the other Slytherin boys were already in a cabin with Scorpius by the time he boarded the train (which, he admitted, could be a little dangerous for them, if they decided to talk about girls and dating), Albus ended up sitting with three first-years, who luckily fell asleep in less than half an hour, leaving him alone with his thoughts. As if he hadn't done that enough perhaps for a whole lifetime.

He ended up falling asleep after a while, and again dreamed with that rainy morning. When he woke up, there was a tear running down his cheek, for he could feel just how hurt his best friend was, and he quickly wiped it away under the attentive eye of the only one of the boys already awake.

"Are you okay?" The boy asked, tilting his head sideways a little.

"Yeah, sure." He smiled kindly to the boy who shrugged.

"Who is Scorpius?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You were saying that name over and over." He explained.

"It's... A friend. Or was."

"What happened?" He asked curiously.

"We... Had a fight." Albus replied, uncomfortable.

"And you didn't make up?"

"Not yet, no."

"Why not?"

"I... It's complicated."

"Well, all you have to do is apologize, isn't it? I mean, if he's really your friend, he'll forgive you, and you'll be friends again."

Albus smiled at the boy once more. "Again, it's a bit more complicated than that. But I'll keep that in mind, okay?" The boy nodded, smiling again. "Now, are you up for some treats? I'm sure the trolley lady will be here any time now." He said, trying to change the subject, and it was enough to get the boy to babble on and on about his favorite sweets. Albus just smiled and nodded, glad to have his mind taken off his problems for a while.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five**

Albus was the first to meet with Harry and Ginny at the King's Cross platform, having nobody to say goodbye to, and took a deep breath as soon as the two adults came into sight, knowing he'd have to at least pretend to be fine around them. He smiled as they saw him, and dragged his suitcase to where they were standing with the other Weasley parents also waiting for their children. He greeted them all politely, and ten more minutes waiting there, all five Potters were on their way home. His parents (influenced heavily by his mother, he suspected) didn't even wait for him to take his belongings to his room before taking him to the study and protecting the room with a privacy spell.

"I think we need to talk, Albus." His mother said seriously. They had him sit between them in one of the couches by the fire, and he felt exhausted before they even began.

"We are worried about you, son." Harry said with a kind smile.

"I know you are. But there's nothing to worry about, okay? I'm fine, perfectly fine. May I go now?" He tried, knowing he wouldn't get away that easy.

"You know you can trust us, right, Albus?" He nodded. "Good. Then tell us what's going on. Maybe we can help you."

"Mom, I know you mean well, but there's nothing for you to help with." He smiled at her.

"Well, something is very wrong with you, and I want to know what."

"What she means, Al, is that we worry, because everybody noticed you've changed. And I know it probably doesn't feel like it, but trust me, whatever it is, we can help you with it."

"If there was anything you could do, trust me, I'd tell you both immediately. But there isn't. And I'm sorry if I sound rude, but to keep insisting doesn't help at all."

"So you do admit there is something wrong?" Ginny raised an eyebrow, and Albus shrugged a little. "Even if we can't help, tell us what it is. Just talking can help."

"No, mom, it can't. It's something that doesn't concern anybody else, and that I have to solve for myself, okay? I appreciate your concern, but if you really want to help, just leave me alone." He replied, finally losing his patience. He honestly understood where his parents were coming from, but it didn't make it any more tolerable.

"When did you become so insolent, Albus?" Ginny asked, raising her voice slightly.

"When did you stop respecting my privacy?" He muttered, but it was still loud enough for his parents to hear.

"Don't talk like that to your mother, Al." Harry said seriously, even though he agreed with his son.

"I can defend myself, thanks, Harry." She complained. "And you, young man, one more time you talk back to me like that, and you'll be grounded for the rest of Winter Break, you hear me?"

"Yes, mom. But, in case you haven't noticed, I don't want to talk about it, and I've already told you that a thousand times, and yet you keep insisting. So it's no surprise I'm upset."

"I know you don't want to talk about it, Al." Harry said before the redhead could say anything. "But we're really worried. Even professor Snape called us for a meeting. And if you don't want to talk to us, there must be someone you _can_ talk to, right?"

"Again, you don't have to worry, dad. I've done well enough in my exams, I've got school under control. And no, there's nobody I can talk to, because it's nobody's business. You should know me well enough by now to know I don't like talking about personal stuff to anyone, don't you think?"

"Albus Severus Potter! Now you've gone too far! You forbidden to leave this house without us, you hear me?"

"It's not like I was going anywhere anyway." He mumbled.

"And go to your room, right now! And stay there!"

"It's what I planned to do from the start anyway..." He said under his breath as he made his way out of the room, leaving a cross and flushed Ginny behind, in company or an equally cross Harry, who was angry at another person for another reason.

"Hey, Al?" He heard his dad at his door several minutes later. He was sitting at his desk staring down at his homework, without actually getting anything done. His mind was far from his body once more.

"Hi, dad." He replied quietly.

"Listen... I know you're not one to talk, but honestly, it can really help."

"I know, dad. But, really, I don't want to."

"Albus..." Harry hesitated for a moment, closing the door behind himself. The boy took a deep breath, wondering if it hadn't already been enough for one day. "I didn't want to say anything in front of your mother, because I know she's overreact -Merlin, she already has -, but I know you're upset about Scorpius. Isn't it?"

"Dad, really..."

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. But I want you to know I won't judge you for it. I won't tell you he is a bad influence and that it's a good thing you're not friends anymore because, well, first, it's not true, and second, that's probably the last thing you want to hear. But whatever happened between you, you know the only way to solve it is to talk to him, right?" Albus nodded hesitantly. "I once had a bad fight with Ron. And we didn't work things out until we put our pride to the side and talked to each other."

"I know." He tried to smile. "Thanks, dad. But I just need some time to think, okay?"

"Okay, son." Harry smiled at him, and stood by the now open door for another moment before turning around and leaving.

As soon as the door closed again, Albus sighed, resting his forehead against his desk. He really, really needed to work things out. Because if it didn't drive him crazy, all the people butting into his life certainly would.

The days until Christmas went by quickly, and not much homework was done when they left for dinner at the Burrow on Christmas Eve. The house was loud as usual, with too many people in not enough space, most of the men and children outside playing Quidditch, in spite of the snow that had begun falling early that morning, and the kitchen filled with the most heavenly smells. But for Albus, it all seemed very dull and grey, and instead of joining his cousins - even the ones who weren't in the air -, he chose to sit with a book by the fire in the living room.

Everybody in the house noticed he seemed down, and happily they all chose to either ignore it (mostly the children, who almost instantly had their attention captured by something else) or to talk to his parents first, and Harry had Ginny sensibly agree with him that the last thing their son needed was all of the family pushing him to talk, when he clearly didn't want or wasn't ready to. So it fell to them the responsibility of reassuring every last member of the family that Albus was going to be fine and there was nothing to worry about.

The youngest Potter boy was visibly uncomfortable for most of the following morning as they all sat together to open the presents, and he was getting very sick of pretending by the time they finally reached the end of that part of the day. Most of the children then were off to play with their new things, and not too long after that, the feast was served and they all sat in the tent set up outside, talking loudly and cheerfully while eating as much as their stomachs could take in.

Albus avoided interactions as much as he could, and as soon as he was done eating - which didn't take long, as he seemed to have lost his appetite almost completely, progressively since that untoward__day - and excused himself before heading back inside, where he sat once more by the fire with the book opened on the same page it had been the day before. The words before him were the last thing he was concerned about.

Harry had tried to talk to his son once more since he returned from school, but he'd gotten nowhere. Very much like Snape told him would happen, as teenagers, especially with Albus's personality, tended to keep everything to themselves, being particularly careful not to as little as mention private subjects to their parents. But he knew that, whatever it was that was troubling his son, he needed to do something about it. It was his duty as father.

But that knowledge didn't get him too far for most of the time they spent at the Burrow. He seemed particularly distracted to most people who tried to talk to him, his mind coming up with plan after plan to get to the boy, and dismissing one after the other as he reached the conclusion they would only push Albus further away from him. The first guests were already starting to leave when he saw Teddy walking his girlfriend to the fireplace, from where she and her family would go to France to see her mother's side of the family.

And he suddenly realized the boy - man, now, he had to remind himself as he watched him - was the perfect choice, at least among the ones he had. Teddy had that aura about him that screamed trustworthiness, much like his father had (at least once you got past the raggedy clothes). And the boys had always loved him - Merlin, all the children younger than him had always loved him pretty much since they were born. He was younger, so maybe it'd be easier for Albus to connect with him, not to mention he was probably the only one who wouldn't make fun of his son, thus exterminating any chance of conversation.

"Hey, Teddy, got a minute?" Harry asked, rushing a couple of steps to catch up with the boy who was walking back to the garden.

"Sure, Harry." He smiled, and the two walked to the nearest table, sitting side by side. "What's up?"

"Um, actually, I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"How can I help?"

"Hm... You know the boys are really fond of you right?" The boy with dark blue hair nodded. "There's something going on with Albus, and I even have my theories as to what it might be, but he refuses to talk to me. Standard teenage behavior, I suppose, but I was hoping that maybe you could give it a try? Maybe it'll be easier for him to open up to you, since you're closer to him, age wise."

"Uh, sure, I can try... I'm not sure if it'll help, though. We're not as close as I'd like us to be." He smiled apologetically.

"Well, I'd be very grateful either way." Harry smiled encouragingly, patting him on the shoulder.

"So, what are your theories about his problems?"

"I suspect it's a relationship thing."

"Ah, girls. I remember it well." He replied with an amused smile.

"Actually, maybe I should give you the heads-up. I think it's a boy." He said in a lower voice, unsure how the boy would react. If it hadn't gone down well with Hermione - who was certainly one of the most educated people he knew -, and Charlie felt the need to keep that aspect of his life completely hidden from his own family, he feared what the rest of his friends would think.

"Pretty much the same drama, I suppose." He kept smiling, to Harry's relief. "Any hints as to who it might be?"

"His best friend."

"The Malfoy boy?"

"Yeah. But don't call him that, or Albus will throw a tantrum." He joked, and they both chuckled. "His name is Scorpius."

"Scorpius. Right. Leave it to me." He winked at Harry before getting up in search of Albus. He found the boy with a book in an armchair by the fire, and took a seat a little to his side. "Hey there, Al. What are you reading?" He asked cheerfully.

"Uh..." The boy blushed, peeking the cover before replying. "It's a muggle book my dad gave me a while ago."

"Is it any good?"

Albus shrugged. "It's okay enough."

"It's been a while since we sat down to talk, just the two of us, hasn't it?"

"I suppose." He replied, putting the book away and sitting up straight. "My dad sent you?"

Teddy giggled. "You got me. He's worried about you."

"I know. But it's nothing he can help me with, and I really don't feel like discussing it."

"So there is something wrong, then?"

"Well, yes, but it's my own fault. I just need to figure out how to fix it."

"Maybe I could help you?"

Albus looked at him for a moment, considering the other's offer. The truth was, he was dying to share his fears and insecurities with someone, but it felt like such a private subject he couldn't mention it even to his parents. Not that his mother would be of any help, even if he could.

"I don't know. I mean, I don't think I can talk about it. Not yet, at least."

"Maybe you don't have to tell me everything? You could try generalizing it." He suggested with a shrug.

"Like... I give you a hypothetical scenario and you give me your input on it?" The other boy nodded. "How would that be any different from telling you the truth? Apart from changing the names, of course."

"Well... Why don't we start from the beginning? Something happened at some point and it changed things. Right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Was it something good or something bad?"

"I... Don't really know. I don't know what to think about it, so I don't know how to react to it. And not doing anything about it is just making it worse."

"Something that can be good or bad, then." He thought for a moment, and Albus watched as the boy's hair went from blue to dark brown, what he considered a more serious tone and meant he was really focused. "Something you did or something they did to you?"

"Er... They started it, but then... I screwed up everything."

"Screwed up how?" He raised an eyebrow. Albus opened his mouth to talk, decided to put it all out, but just then he heard his mother, grandmother and a few aunts walk into the kitchen, chatting loudly, and lost his nerve, worried they might hear them. Seeing his discomfort, Teddy invited, "Why don't we go upstairs for some privacy?"

He looked uncertain for long moments, and finally nodded. "Okay."

They walked in silence to a bedroom on the second floor, and sat side-by-side on the bed, after Teddy closed the door and cast a silencing spell over them, just in case. "We're good now." He smiled encouragingly.

"I... Don't know where to start." He said quietly, shrugging his shoulders and avoiding the eyes watching him.

"How about you start from the beginning? It's usually a good place to start." He joked, gaining a faint smile in return. "Hm... Who was it?"

He hesitated for a moment. "It's... Scorpius."

"Your best friend, right?" The younger boy nodded. "Okay. And everything was fine until it happened? Or did you see it coming?"

"I honestly had no idea. But then... Afterwards, it was really obvious. I should've known, I... I'm supposed to know him, to understand him, and instead I just..." Scorpius's expression from that rainy afternoon came to haunt him yet again. "I hurt him. Like probably nobody else could, because I know for a fact I was all he had, and I wasn't there for him when he needed me the most." He hid is face in his hands, trying to keep the tears from falling. He hadn't expected to say any of that, but once he started, the burden suddenly seemed to heavy for him to continue carrying it alone, and he just had to share it.

"I'm sure that's not the case, Al." Teddy said sympathetically, resting one hand on the boy's back and rubbing lightly. "Why don't you tell me exactly what happened? Maybe all you need is a new perspective on it to make things right again."

"It... He'd been acting weird since classes began, you know." He let his hands fall, keeping his eyes on his feet dangling softly. "Snapping at people, avoiding everybody and stuff. I tried asking him what was wrong a million times, and he'd never tell me. Until he did, and then... It all went wrong."

"What was going on with him?"

"He..." Albus swallowed hard. "He's in love with me."

"And I guess by the way things turned out, you're not in love with him?"

"I... Don't know. I never thought about it. I was never in love to know how it feels."

"Do you want me to tell you?" He asked with a half-smile, and the boy nodded. "Well... It's the most incredible feeling in the world. Just having them around makes you the happiest person alive, and when they're not there it feels like there's a part of you missing. Just the thought of them is enough to make you smile from ear to ear, and to see them in pain is ten times worse than feeling it yourself. And..." Teddy smiled at himself. "You'd give up your whole world just to see them smile."

"It does sound pretty awesome." He gave a tentative smile.

"Is that how you feel?"

"But isn't it just because he's my best friend? Because I'm so used to have him around, and I don't know what to do when he's not?"

"Look, Al, I can't tell you what you feel. It's something you need to figure out for yourself. But regardless of what you find, just because he likes you, it doesn't mean you have to like him back. And it doesn't mean you can't still be friends, that you can't still be best friends."

"Well, I don't think we're even friends anymore, so none of it matters." He muttered, his tone a mix of sarcasm and bitterness.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because... I did something completely stupid. I don't even know why I did it, but I ruined everything."

"What did you do? It can't possibly be that bad. Especially if you didn't mean to."

"I... Don't want to talk about it."

"Is that the thing you can't decide if it's good or bad?"

"No." He replied quietly, and Teddy waited in silence for him to continue. The minutes seemed to drag until he finally decided to elaborate on it. "I don't know if it's good or bad that Scorp kissed me."

"I think that'll depend on the assessment you make over your own feelings." Teddy smiled.

"I suppose."

"What did you do that was so bad, then?"

"I..." He began, and then whispered the rest of the sentence, forcing the other boy to lean forward to hear him. "Sort of pushed him away and wiped the kiss on my sleeve."

"Oh. I guess that didn't go down too well with Scorpius, then."

Albus shook his head. "And I don't even know why I did it!" He exclaimed a little louder. "It was so stupid! I shouldn't have. I mean, it wasn't even like it was the first time we kissed, or anything."

"What do you mean?"

"I sort of stole a kiss from him once."

"And how did he react to that?"

"He was fine with it. None of us brought it up again, so I figured he'd forgotten about it or something." He shrugged. "Why would I even do something like that, Teddy?" He asked, frustrated.

"Maybe... And it's just a guess, okay? But maybe you were afraid it might change things between you. You said you both just forgot about it, and you haven't got your feelings figured out yet, so I'm guessing you kissed him just for fun, maybe like a friendly joke or something?" Albus nodded. "And then, when he kissed you, and told you everything, it suddenly became very real, and you were afraid of things changing between you two. So maybe if you wiped away the kiss you could pretend nothing had happened, and thus nothing had to change."

"You think so?" He asked, a little surprised. But then again, he didn't have any theories of his own as to why things had gone down that way, so anything anybody else deducted would surprise him.

"I can't tell you for sure, Al. That's something only you can do. But I'm sure you'll figure it out." He smiled, punching Albus lightly on the shoulder and making him smile.

"Do you... Think he'll ever forgive me?" He asked quietly, forgetting the boy barely even knew Scorpius.

"I'm sure he will, Al. All you have to do is talk to him. You're too important to him for him to keep holding grudges against you, no matter in how much pain he is. I'm sure he knows you didn't mean to hurt him."

"I hope so." He whispered with a weak smile, looking down again and being surprised by the older boy putting his arms around him.

"I know you feel helpless right now, but I promise you, whatever your feelings are, it'll be fine." Teddy smiled, shaking him a little before letting go.

"Thanks, Teddy." Albus replied honestly, grinning back. "And you know what? It sort of does feel better to put it all out."

"And don't worry, your secrets are safe with me." They sustained the look for another moment before the older boy stood up. "So? Shall we go back? I'm sure your dad is looking forward to some news." He joked, heading for the door.

"What will you tell him?" Albus asked curiously, both of them making their way down the stairs.

"That you're taking care of your problem and they don't have to worry about it." Teddy smiled again before being practically pulled outside by Fred and James, who'd apparently been looking everywhere for him. Albus smiled as he watched them, heading back to the armchair where he left his unfinished book.

During his last week of Winter Break, Albus had a lot of time to think about what he discussed with Teddy, and to compare what he felt for Scorpius with what he felt for everybody else he knew. There was the love he felt for his parents, his siblings and the rest of his family, the kind of thing that would make him tolerate James's pranks, Lily's babbling, Rose's snooping and so on, and still want to stand up for them, if they couldn't for themselves. There was the friendship he had with Frankie and, to a lesser degree, with Lynus and Thales, and he would also stand up for them, but he knew he would always choose his family over them. But he had chosen Scorpius over James, hadn't he? Over and over again.

It wasn't easy analyzing his feelings for the blond. There was the friendship, the sense of camaraderiehe always had, even before they knew each other too well. The feeling he could always count on the boy, that they'd always be doing things together and having fun together. There was the profound trust he had on Scorpius; the boy was the only person - all his family included - he ever felt he could be totally open with without fearing being judged, laughed at or patronized. And he _loved_ Scorpius. He knew that, he loved the boy as a friend, his best friend, and he had never once doubted that. But aside from that... he wasn't too sure.

Fighting with Scorpius, seeing him hurt, was so much worse than arguing with James. He'd thought it was perhaps because he knew his brother would always forgive him, would still love him after that, because he _was_ his brother, but he knew the same applied to the blond. He _knew_ Teddy was right that all he had to do was talk to Scorpius to be forgiven. So why did it hurt so much more? _To see them in pain hurts ten times more than to feel it yourself_, the boy's voice echoed in his head. Did it mean he loved Scorpius as more than a friend? And he was fine with the idea, so why was he so reluctant?

Maybe because it was new. Maybe because he never thought about being with anybody, especially with his best friend, and he didn't feel ready for that. But the more he thought about it, the harder it seemed to be away from Scorpius. He wanted to talk and laugh with the boy as he used to, but he also wanted the complicity they shared at night, lying side by side, sometimes in perfect silence. He wanted to wake up and see the blond still asleep beside him, and the way his hair always fell over his closed eyes, complementing his very pale skin with perfection. Sometimes when he remembered the boy just lying there, his hand would move without his acknowledging it, as if to move one of his locks of hair, and he couldn't help smiling when he noticed it.

And it became clearer and clearer to him that he _did_ have feelings for the blond boy, though he didn't dare put a label on them. But now he would blush when he remembered them kissing, and crave for more - and then hide his face on his pillow, embarrassed at his own thoughts -, and he could almost hear Scorpius's voice in his head, if he tried hard enough, and he took out the blanket that still smelled like his friend to keep him warm at night.

A strong sense of determination began taking over him, and he felt very brave and confident, finally ready to approach the boy and tell him all that had been going through his head, make amends with Scorpius, and even if the boy no longer had any feelings for him, regain his best friend and never to let him go again. He had a large smile on his lips as they made their way to King's Cross Station, to his parents' relief, and not even James's incessant jokes were able to affect his great mood.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty Six**

All the confidence Albus felt seemed to disappeared as he spotted the unmistakable blond head that belonged to Scorpius. He was suddenly very hesitant, afraid of saying the wrong thing, afraid of hurting the boy again. Not to mention he still didn't have a precise definition of what he felt, so what did he even intend to say to him? All the imaginary scenarios he'd created seemed to vanish from his mind, leaving him standing in the middle of the crowd, watching the boy move until he was out of sight.

Albus sighed. So that was how he intended to make amends? Yeah, sure that would work, he thought sarcastically, turning around to board the other side of the train. He convinced himself it wasn't the best moment to say anything anyway as he looked for somewhere to sit. There were too many people around, and he knew they'd both appreciate keeping that particular conversation private. He walked down the train looking for an empty cabin - it shouldn't be too hard to find one this time; for once they arrived early at King's Cross Station - when he bumped into a little boy standing in the middle of the hallway.

"Watch it!" He complained, frowning at the boy and then smiling as he recognized him. It was one of the boys he'd ridden with when they left the school. "Hey, you."

"Oh! Hi! I'm sorry, I was just waiting for a friend, I didn't see you coming."

"Don't worry about it." Albus smiled kindly, pulling his suitcase out of the way. "Well, see you around, then." He turned around to leave, but turned back when he heard the boy call for him.

"Hey! Uh, your friend, did you make amends with him?"

"Not yet, but you know what? I'll follow your advice and apologize to him. I'm sure it'll be fine."

They smiled at each other. "I hope so. Good luck!" The boy wished, waving, and Albus kept walking down the hall.

He finally found an empty cabin on the third cart, and after some struggle, he put away his suitcase and sat by the window with a book, waiting impatiently for the journey to begin. Just a few minutes before the train was due to depart, the door to his cabin was opened, startling him a little, as he was completely focused on the adventure novel at hand. He was ready to complain and say the other seats were already taken, when he saw Frankie and his little sister standing there.

"Do you mind if we join you, Al?" The boy asked with a smile.

"No, not at all." He smiled back, closing the book and putting it away. "I thought you'd be riding with James, though." He said as he watched them settle down.

"Actually, I'm not that friendly with your brother anymore." He replied, and Albus raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, it's nothing serious, don't worry." He smiled. "It's just... Ah, you know, at some point, you get sick of his pranks and all. Besides, he wouldn't leave Gabby alone for being put into Ravenclaw, so we ended up drifting apart."

"He never mentioned it. And I never noticed." He said, slightly embarrassed he hadn't observed such change in behavior. Since he began school, he remembered seeing Frankie walking around with James all the time.

"It's okay." The boy smiled kindly. "I noticed you looked a bit troubled lately, so it's really no surprise." Albus smiled apologetically. "So. What's been going on with you? I'm pretty sure everybody in school noticed you were different. And Rosie made sure every one of us knew." He winked at the brunet, making him laugh.

"It's... I just had a lot to think about, you know?"

"Anything I can help you with?"

"Actually, I've got it sorted out now. But thanks."

"Anytime." They smiled at each other.

"What about you, Gabby? You're awfully quiet today." Albus smiled at her.

"Come on, Gabby, you know you can tell Al, right?" Frankie encouraged, poking her lightly with his elbow.

"It's nothing." She blushed slightly, and Albus raised an eyebrow.

"You do know I won't tell anybody, right? Whatever it is." The girl nodded. "Very well, then. But if you ever need to talk, I'm all ears." He offered with a smile.

They stayed in silence for several minutes, the movement of the train trying to put them to sleep, aided by the warm sunlight coming in through the window.

"I like somebody." Gabby finally said.

"Somebody I know?" Albus asked curiously.

"I don't know. He's a Ravenclaw boy."

"I probably don't, then, sorry." He smiled. "But is he a nice guy? Or I'll have to beat him up when he breaks your heart?" He pretended to tough, throwing a few punches in the air and making her laugh.

"He's cool." She replied, still giggling.

"That's good then." The brunet said, putting his arms down. "I'm not one for fighting anyway." He joked. "And does he like you?"

"The other girls in my dorm said he does." She blushed hard. "I'm going to talk to him soon."

"That's very nice for you, Gabby. Good luck with that."

"Thanks, Al." She replied, still avoiding his eyes.

"You're not going to play the jealous, overzealous big brother, are you, Frankie?" Albus raised a playful eyebrow at him.

The blond boy laughed. "No, not at all. I know the boy, he's nice. Besides, I shouldn't be interfering in Gabby's personal life, right, little sis?" He messed her hair a little, gaining a very angry look in return and making the other boy laugh.

In the end, Albus had a very pleasant ride back to school, as he wasn't planning to. It'd been a long time since he had the chance to just talk to Frankie, and though most of what they talked about was fairly neutral subjects, he wouldn't have wished it any other way. He was finally beginning to relax, and his confidence level, as far as talking to Scorpius, was once again rising.

It was snowing again when they arrived at the Hogsmeade station, and they all hurried to the carriages, feeling very glad to be once again indoors, dry and warm. Dinner passed in the blink of an eye for Albus, and all too soon it was time to return to the dungeons. He walked quietly in the middle of the mass of students going the same way, and went straight to his dorm, where he found the other three boys unpacking. Two of them talked excitedly about their holidays, and Albus was as silent as Scorpius while they put their things away, changed into their night clothes and got in bed.

Lynus and Thales didn't take long to fall asleep, but Albus still waited almost an hour to gather the courage to talk to Scorpius. It was probably the only chance he'd have to be nearly alone with the blond, and he knew he couldn't stand another day away from him, not now he understood (mostly) what he felt. After taking a deep breath, he got out of bed and tiptoed to Scorpius's, which had the dark green curtains pulled. He climbed up carefully and slowly, wondering if the boy was still asleep. As usual, Scorpius had his back turned his way. After a minute or so he'd been sitting on the bed, not getting any reaction whatsoever, he cast a privacy spell over them - it was about time he learned how to do that - before taking a few deep breaths and speaking.

"Scorp? Are you awake?" He asked in a whisper, watching the other boy closely.

"Go back to your bed, Albus." The reply came after long moments.

"W-We need to talk, Scorp."

"We have an early morning tomorrow. Please, just go back to your bed and go to sleep."

"No." He replied, surprised at how firm his voice sounded. "We need to talk."

"Why?" Scorpius sat up, turning to the brunet, and asked, his voice trembling a little, though Albus couldn't tell if it was from anger, pain or what not. "So you can tell me how disgusting I am? Or to tell me we can't be friends anymore? Because if that's it-"

"It's nothing like that, Scorp!" Albus urged, his chest hurting from the evident pain he'd caused.

"What is it, then? Haven't you done enough damage already?" As much as he tried to fight it, Scorpius could feel stubborn tears forming in his eyes.

Albus took a deep breath to clear his mind. He couldn't let himself be stopped by the sight before him, or he would keep causing that pain. "First, and most importantly, I want to apologize to you."

"Apologize?" He looked uncertain at the other boy.

"Yes, Scorp. Apologize. What I did was... Was awful. Terrible. And I know it doesn't excuse it, and it shouldn't, but I honestly didn't even realize what I was doing. Not until the next day, when I had time to think about it."

"Well, meaning to or not, you still did it." He said quietly, his emotional pain bleeding through his voice. "But it's fine. I forgive you, I was out of line anyway. Is that all?" He asked impatiently, avoiding to look at the brunet.

"No. There's more. There's so much more, Scorp..." He tried to smile, but the other boy didn't see.

"Must it be now? It's late and-"

"If I don't say it now, you won't listen later. And I'll lose my nerve. And I need you to hear what I have to say, and I can't wait another minute for that."

"What is so urgent, then?" He tried to sound secure, but it was evident he was afraid of what might be coming.

"Scorp, I... I've had a long time to think about... Well, everything. And I was very confused for a very long time. You need to understand, I never saw it coming. And I never even considered being with anybody, so when you did that, and said that, I... I didn't know what to do. I suppose a part of me realized right away that it meant things were changing, and I was so afraid of losing you! You're my best friend, for Merlin's sake! My _only_ friend!" He said a little louder, agitated.

"Friend." The blond repeated, with a sarcastic snort.

"Let me finish, Scorp, please." He said quietly, and waited for the boy to nod before continuing. "I didn't know what to make of your feelings. To me... When we kissed, what we did, it was just... friendly stuff." He looked away when he saw the hurt expression that had been haunting him for the past few months. He knew it sounded terrible, but he had to say it. "I didn't know it meant anything to you. I suppose I should've seen it, but... I didn't. I failed you as a friend."

Scorpius's expression changed almost instantly. "No, you didn't." He said in a low but very firm voice. "I was trying not to let you see it. I... was afraid things would change as well. And yet, that was exactly what I caused."

"It's both our faults then." He smiled briefly, and the blond felt his heart warming. "But... there's more, Scorp. It took me a long time to admit it, but..." He whispered the next bit, embarrassed. "I liked it when you kissed me."

"You... did?" He raised a surprised eyebrow.

Albus nodded. "And it just made me even more confused, because I always thought of you as a friend. And I thought... I thought I'd be failing you if I didn't return your feelings, and I was so scared I wouldn't and I'd end up losing you forever."

"You wouldn't! Really, Al, it's fine if you don't like me back. It was unfair and selfish of me to tell you that and-"

"It wasn't! It was selfish of _me_ not to notice, when you're my best friend. But that's not the point, okay? The point is, it took me this long to find someone who told me it was okay to feel whatever I felt for you, returning or not your feelings, and that it didn't have to keep us from being friends. And that's the most important thing for me, you know? I want to always have you by my side, I want you always to be my friend."

"It's okay, Al." He replied with a sad smile, working his best not to let his feelings show. "It's very important to me as well. I don't want to ever lose you, and being your friend is all I could ask for."

"But, you see, with so much time going through my feelings, I found more than I was looking for." He said in a whisper, smiling and watching the blond's face light up with hope. "I... I don't know exactly what I feel, actually." He confided in a low voice. "I'm... afraid to name it, and then find out I was wrong, and hurt you again."

"I-It's okay, Al." He smiled. "I... I'm just glad we're friends again." His eyes shone with tears starting to form.

"If... I don't want to hurt you, Scorp, not ever again. I couldn't live with myself if I did. That's why I need to say all this, okay? But... If... If it's okay with you... Though I won't say - not yet, at least - that I like you just as much as you like me...That is, if you still like me... And if that's okay with you... I..." He swallowed hard, trying to force out the words that made him so terrified and so excited at the same time. "I'd like to give us a try." He whispered, blushing and looking away.

"You mean...?" Scorpius smiled expectantly.

Albus nodded. "If you still like me... And if you'd like to... I'd like for us to try to be together."

They were both panting a little from their intense emotions when they let their eyes meet. For long minutes, that was all they did, look at each other, their hearts pounding in their chests and wide smiles painted in their faces. Scorpius's hand was trembling slightly when he brought it up to cup the brunet's face softly, just absorbing the feeling for a moment before slowly stroking his skin with his thumb. Albus held his breath at the caress, and after a second, his eyes fluttered shut, intensifying the sensation.

It could've been an eternity, but it was only for a few moments that they remained like that. Time almost seemed to have stopped existing for them as Albus opened his eyes again and mimicked his friend, and they began moving closer, eyes still locked together, until their noses touched and they smiled again. Then they both closed their eyes, lips slightly parted and feeling each other's warm breath against their sensitive skin before finally kissing.

It wasn't more than a touch of lips that lasted a few seconds, both of them afraid it was a mere dream, and they smiled again when they pulled away. The second kiss was as hesitant as the first, but lasted a little longer, the still fingers cupping each other's face finally returning to the soft caresses. Scorpius was the first to part his lips and tentatively sneak his tongue out, letting it run through Albus's lower lip as if asking for permission to go through.

The brunet didn't really know what to do, and was terrified of being terrible at that and pushing the other boy away, but all his thoughts seemed to vanish as he felt the caress on his lip and opened his mouth slightly, welcoming the intruder. After another moment of hesitation, he began playing with Scorpius's tongue, and pulling his face closer to himself. When they finally parted, both boys were panting and blushing, their chests about to burst with joy.

"I can't believe this is really happening." Scorpius whispered after a moment.

"Neither can I." Albus smiled.

"Are you... Are you serious? That you want us to be together?"

"Dead serious."

"Good." The blond replied quietly, leaning in for another kiss. He never knew somebody could taste so delicious. After long minutes, they finally parted and lied down, Scorpius's arms tightly around Albus. He was never letting the boy go again. "I think... There's something else we need to talk about, Al."

"Yeah?"

"I... How do you want to go about it? Do you... want to tell everybody, or keep it a secret or..."

"What do _you_ want?"

"Whatever _you_ want." He replied with a cheeky smile, and Albus rolled his eyes. "You're the one who has the most to lose, Al, not me." He said seriously. "Half of your family is here, and with that Weasley around, news will reach your home the same day."

"I don't know if I'm ready for that, Scorp." He confided, looking away, embarrassed. "But... I don't want to hurt you anymore. I don't want to force you to hide it, to lie and pretend."

Scorpius smiled. "You don't have to worry about that, Al. If you're not ready, we can wait. The only people I have to tell are my parents, and I wouldn't have to do it until Summer Break anyway."

"How... How do you think they'll react?" Albus asked quietly after a few minutes.

"I think... They won't have a choice but to accept it." He smiled confidently.

"But... Do you... Do you think they'll try to split us or something?"

"Like James will?" He half-joked, and the brunet nodded. "I don't know. I hope not, but even if they try, they won't succeed. The only way we'll ever break up is if you want to."

"Why, because you never will?" He joked back, turning around in Scorpius's arms to look into his eyes.

"Never ever." The blond replied before kissing him again, and only letting go when Albus was completely breathless.

"Understood." He replied with a smile, snuggling with the boy. "Good night, Scorp." He wished in whisper.

"Good night, Al." The blond replied, closing his eyes and falling almost immediately asleep, both of them having peaceful nights as hadn't happened in months.

Albus was the first to wake up the next morning, and smiled when he realized Scorpius's arms were still around him. He tried to move very carefully so he wouldn't wake the boy up, but he needed to know what time it was; after all, just because they shared the bed, it didn't mean they didn't have classes that morning. He practically jumped up when he realized it was mid-morning already, waking the blond up on his way.

"What?" Scorpius mumbled, still sleepy, rubbing his eyes that hurt from the light.

"We're late! We're very late!" Albus replied alarmed, jumping from the bed and fumbling through his suitcase in search of his school robes.

"What you mean, late?" The blond's voice sounded very dragged, and the sentence ended in a yawn. "It's still..." He began, throwing himself across the bed to reach his watch on the nightstand. "Merlin! We're late!" He felt suddenly very awake, and followed the brunet out of bed, getting dressed as quickly as possible.

"That's what I said!" Albus's muffled voice came from the bathroom, where he was brushing his teeth.

"Uh, okay, we should be in... Oh, damn! We should be in Potions right now, Al!" He let out a frustrated sound as he began his own morning ablutions.

"Snape will kill us." Albus said with a smile.

"No doubt." Scorpius smiled back. "Hey, wait!" He called as they were about to leave their dorm.

"What is it now? We don't have time for it!" The brunet complained, his backpack hanging from one shoulder.

"Your tie. It's all messy. Hold on." He explained, leaving his own bag on the floor and reaching to fix his friend's tie.

Albus rolled his eyes. "Is it really necessary?"

"Of course it is! I want my boyfriend looking his absolute best all the time." He replied distractedly, and the brunet blushed at the sound of the word. "There. It didn't take so much time, did it?" Scorpius picked up his things and turned to leave, but the other boy held him by the arm, making him turn around and pressed his lips against the blond's. "What was that for?" He asked in a whisper, his cheeks becoming pink and his eyes avoiding the green ones, embarrassed.

"You called me your boyfriend." Albus replied in the same tone.

"Well, that's what you are, isn't it?" He smiled widely, still blushing.

"Yes, it is." The brunet said, also smiling, before leaving a peck on the blond's lips. "Let's go, then. It's time to face Snape's fury." He joked, pulling the boy by the hand out to the dorm.

They were still holding hands when they stopped at the classroom door, taking deep breaths. "Al, I think..." He began, raising their hands.

"Oh. Right. We... don't need everyone to know just yet."

"You do know that I don't mind, right? That it doesn't mean I'm ashamed to be with you or anything, right?" The brunet nodded, smiling. "I just don't want to push you into anything, if you're not ready."

"I know." He looked at both sides of the silent corridor before leaving a peck on Scorpius's cheek, letting go of his hand and opening the door.

All heads turned to them as they walked into the classroom, the fumes from all the caldrons making them dizzy for a moment as they tried to assess where there were available seats. If the room was normally very quiet, now it'd fallen into deadly silence, with none of the students even daring to breath as they walked to a desk at the back of the class, trying to act as natural as they could while Snape seemed ready to skin them alive using only his eyes.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. You've decided to join us, after all, I see?" He began in his most strict and sarcastic tone, making most students cower, as the two boys set up their station and he slowly walked their way.

"W-We're very sorry, Professor." Albus said hurriedly.

"Were you feeling unwell and spent the morning at the Hospital Wing?"

"Uh, no, sir."

"Were you in mortal danger that kept you from arriving in my class in time?"

"No, Professor." Scorpius replied, swallowing hard.

"There were no extraordinary circumstances or explanations as to why you're only here at this hour, then?"

"No, sir." They replied in unison.

"I see." He replied, turning around, his cape billowing after him. "Then I have no choice but to take 20 points from Slytherin." One or two students let out strangled sounds of surprise, while most Gryffindor students looked very satisfied. "For each of you." He completed. "And I want a foot of parchment on the uses of the potion we're brewing today."

"Yes, sir." Albus replied quietly, both of them opening their books on the right page as silently as they could.

"_And_ you're not excused for lunch until you have finished the potion and left a phial in my desk. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." They replied at the same time.

"Very well, then. The rest of you, back to work." He sat at his desk, his hawk eyes watching every student closely, knowing exactly what would go wrong in each of their potions.

After a few minutes, Snape relaxed a little, pulling out some essays he still had to grade. It wasn't a dangerous potion he had the students working on, and no combination of the ingredients could produce any harmful side effect, so he didn't have to babysit them every step of the way. As he tried to work, he couldn't help observing the two boys at the back of the class, and a tiny little smile spread across his face as he saw all of Harry's suspicions being confirmed.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

Albus and Scorpius were the last to leave their work at Snape's desk - presumably, though only 15 or 20 minutes after the rest of the class had left - and there were putting their things away and getting ready to leave when the Potions Master's voice resonated behind them, creating weak echoes through the silent room.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy."

They both swallowed hard, looking up and replying in unison. "Yes, Professor?"

"I am..." He paused for a moment, searching for the right word, and narrowed his eyes slightly as he made his choice. "... _Glad_ the two of you have worked out your issues, but be late for my class without an excellent excuse again and you'll both be serving detentions for a week. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

He stared at them for a moment longer, slightly amused at their apprehension, before briefly waving his hand. "You may go now." He said before waving his wand over the phials on his desk and disappearing into his office.

They left the room as fast as their feet could carry them, but as soon as they turned around a corner, both boys started laughing, leaning their backs against the cold stone wall and dropping their bags beside their feet.

"That was so close." Albus said a couple of minutes later, still breathing a little hard, after he finally got himself under control.

"I know." The blond replied, letting their eyes meet with a smile. A quick glance sideways later, he stole a kiss from the boy beside him, not more than a quick peck, but enough to get the brunet to blush hard.

"What was that for?" He asked quietly.

"You're my boyfriend now. So I'm allowed to do that, right?"

Albus opened a big smile, his cheeks still crimson. "That's right." He whispered. "I just-"

"Don't worry, nobody will see it." He replied in an equally low voice, but murmuring right at the boy's ear, sending shivers through his body, before capturing his lips with his own.

They were still learning each other, so for the first moment, it was a very hesitant touch, but they were also teenagers with raging hormones, and quickly the kiss deepened, and Scorpius was pressing the other boy against the wall with his whole body, both sets of hands unable to pick a destination and roaming up and down instead.

"Unless you wish to be late for your afternoon lessons as well, I strongly recommend you go have lunch now." Snape's voice came from one side, and they jumped apart. The Potions Master half-smiled as he held the two surprised and scared eyes looking at him with his own very black ones for a moment, and before they could reply, he turned around, his cape billowing behind him as he disappeared around the corner.

The boys just stood in the middle of the hallways, breathing, for long minutes.

"So much for keeping it a secret." Scorpius said at last, with a tentative smile, as he picked up his backpack, careful to keep a safe distance from Albus.

The brunet nodded. "We can't go around doing that."

"Right." They began walking back to their dorm, to leave their things there before heading to the Great Hall. "Not that it's going to be easy." He joked, and they smiled at each other. "Here, I'll take your bag." He offered as they entered the Common Room, knowing it wouldn't be a good idea for them to be alone in a room full of beds. Even if they wouldn't go that far. "Do you... Want to establish some rules or something?" He suggested as they headed up the stairs.

"It would be a good idea." Albus agreed with a nod. "So... No... Doing that between classes." He blushed slightly.

"Right. Or anywhere people can see, like hallways, even if it's not between classes."

"And sharing beds only on weekends, I don't want to risk oversleeping again."

"And... No talking about it around other people." He smiled as they entered the Great Hall, the noise of agitated students assaulting their ears.

But setting the rules was far easier than sticking to them, as they'd find out. Especially for Albus, since the blond had some practice with it, from the months he was forced to spend just looking from afar. For the first few days, they credited their eagerness to the novelty of their relationship, the curiosity for each other, but they quickly realized that was not (entirely) the case. The more they were together, the more they _needed_ to be together. And before the week was over, Scorpius got an unexpected guest climbing up his bed not too long after they retired for the night.

"What are you doing?" He asked surprised, trying to sound at least a little strict, but unable to keep the smile off his face. "I thought we agreed-"

"I just wanted to say good night." Albus pouted his lower lip a little, making the other boy roll his eyes.

"Yeah, right. You're trying to get us both in detention, is what you're doing." He complained.

"Fine, if you don't want me here, then-" But before he could finish his sentence, Scorpius had him pinned down to the bed and was smiling naughtily at him. And he couldn't help returning the smile.

"Wish me a good night, is it?" He asked teasingly, and Albus nodded weakly, his mind already blurry from the proximity. "Very well then." He whispered.

Scorpius began lowering himself slowly, under watchful green eyes, and half-smiled as he saw Albus lick his lips in anticipation. So much anticipation, in fact, that just the touch of lips was enough to drag a soft moan out of the brunet. That was the sign the blond had been waiting for, and kissed the boy more passionately, sneaking his tongue into Albus's mouth within seconds, exploring it avidly and leaving the brunet incapable to react.

They were both breathless when Scorpius finally broke the kiss, though the blond was better at masquerading it as he climbed off his friend and lied down on the other side of the bed, his back turned to a flushed Albus.

"Good night, then." He said simply.

Albus just lied there, trying to catch his breath and put his mind back in control of his body that wanted nothing more than jump at the boy next to him and... Well, carry on. After a couple of minutes, he smiled at himself. He didn't know Scorpius could be such a tease. He left a quick peck on the blond's cheek before heading back to his own bed, to fall asleep still with a smile on his face.

They soon realized they had less time to be together as a couple than they thought: it was obvious they'd spend most of their days in class, but nearly every day, Scorpius had Quidditch practice - and though they walked to the pitch and back mostly alone, the other players were still close enough to see them (and they knew that, when one's alone, one pays a lot more attention to one's surroundings). Most of the remaining time was filled with homework and studying - they knew Snape knew about their relationship, and didn't want to give him any reason to have to bring it up. They always made sure to give each other goodnight kisses, but forced themselves to sleep apart, not to risk oversleeping again.

Which left them only with the weekends (partially, considering all the professors seemed to be competing to see who could assign them the most homework), but even then the places they could act like the couple they were, were very limited: to say it'd be suspicious for them to spend all day in their dorm would be an euphemism; the Common Room and other common areas were completely out of question; and the hallways, isolated as they might be, were far too risky, if not because of other students, because of the staff or, even worse, Peeves.

"Come on." Scorpius whispered to Albus as they reached the Entrance Hall after a Herbology class, a couple of weeks after classes begun.

"What are-" He started, but was interrupted.

"Hush!" He urged, pulling the boy behind a statue.

The brunet had to blink several times to regain focus - since he couldn't shake his head - and tried his best to control his breathing. He couldn't help panting slightly every time they were that close.

"Come on." Scorpius repeated, grabbing him by the hand. His first instinct was to pull the hand away as he looked both sides, but he was surprised not only not to find anyone there - he hadn't even noticed the silence that had been established in the room -, but also to have the blond hold on tighter, looking at him with a smile. "Don't worry about it." He said, guiding the brunet out the door.

"Where are you taking me?" Albus asked with a smile, feeling more relaxed. "It's freezing outside."

"Oh, don't be a wuss, Al." He joked. "And you'll see in a moment."

And he did. They were headed to their 'secret spot' by the lake, and with all the discouraging weather conditions, the blond figured there would be nobody around to see them. There was barely time for them to hide behind the trees before Scorpius pulled the brunet towards him, one hand cupping his face and the other resting on his waist, their lips meeting as if the move had been rehearsed. It was a brief kiss, and when they broke it, the blond was smiling and the other boy had started giggling.

"I missed doing that." Scorpius confessed, still holding the boy close.

"So did I." Albus replied, leaning in for another kiss.

This time, their tongues came out to play, and smiles disappeared as their desire started to grow. But boys were boys, and taking advantage of the brunet's distraction, Scorpius tacked him, making him fall on the soft snow and, holding him down by sitting on his stomach with one knee on each of his sides, he proceeded to put snow inside Albus's robes, making him squirm, fight and protest.

"Okay, okay, I give! Stop it!" Albus said, laughing and trying to protect himself with his hands.

Scorpius stopped with one hand full of snow in the air, the other on the brunet's chest, both to hold him down and to balance himself, and raised an eyebrow, pondering about the request. But a moment's distraction was all Albus needed to turn the game around and invert their position, surprising the blond with the unexpected strength he showed in doing so.

"No, Al, I'm sorry, okay? I won't do it again. I promise!" Scorpius pleaded as the other boy smirked, his hand now full of snow.

A moment later, the blond was also covered in white and, after several minutes, Albus let himself fall on his back beside the other boy, both of them exhausted and with stomachs hurting from so much laughter.

"We're going to get sick." Albus said after a while, starting to shiver now that his body was cooling down from the exercise.

"Don't worry. We just need to..." He started, sitting up and searching his pockets for his wand. "Ah! Here it is." He smiled, casting heating spells on both of them. "Better?"

"Yeah, thanks." Albus smiled.

"Though I'm sure human warmth would feel a lot better..." He said suggestively, lifting himself up on one elbow and gaining a weak punch from the blushing boy.

"Shut up."

Scorpius just smiled, leaning in for a long and lazy kiss. "We could do this more often." He suggested when they parted, resting his head on the brunet's chest. "We don't get enough time together."

Albus giggled. "We're together all the time, Scorp."

"Not like this. Not alone."

"True." He agreed, taking one hand to play with the platinum-blond locks. "And it's not like anyone would follow us in this weather." He smiled.

"Which reminds me." Scorpius said, getting up and leaving a peck on the boy's lips on his way. "We better get back. Spells can only last for so long." He smiled, offering Albus a hand that was accepted with a smile. Their fingers were still entwined when they reached the doors to the Entrance Hall.

After that first little escapade, the need for each other grew, but also did their boldness. Soon, aided by the weather that didn't have much trouble persuading students to remain inside, they'd discovered every hidden and remote corner of the castle. And by early March, they also knew which dusty rooms were less guarded and which statues provided the most privacy. Just like every other couple in the school would, sooner or later.

Their academic performance wasn't the only thing that improved on their school lives. After what felt like an eternity, they walked together once more down to the Quidditch Pitch, and all the players were very excited to see Albus back to watch them again. They all patted him on the shoulder (one or two, nearly dislocating it, he thought), and the three remaining seventh-years messed his hair as they walked by, making him feel like he was eleven again. As for Scorpius, it seemed particularly easy to focus that day, and all the following ones, and he did so well that one or two players threatened to have him taken to the Hospital Wing - all in good fun.

But if before Scorpius didn't want the brunet to see him coming out of the shower for fear of what the boy might think - not that he had any reason to worry, since with all the Quidditch practice he didn't have a single ounce of fat out of place, as every girl their year and up had noticed -, now he was afraid of how their bodies might react - and end up embarrassed, if not worse.

Albus also felt very self-aware, sitting there with naked boys walking around him, and much as he tried, he couldn't help peeking once or twice. To his great surprise, he liked what he saw - they all had towels wrapped around their waists, so it wasn't that bad, he told himself, blushing and looking down again. And he nearly jumped in place and cursed himself out loud when the thought that he'd like it much more if they were Scorpius crossed his mind. He wasn't ready for that.

With a renewed sense of motivation and commitment, Scorpius felt more ready than ever to tackle the first Quidditch game of the year. The night before the game, the boys were a bit torn between sleeping or not in the same bed. If they did, they would certainly have a great night of sleep - which was undoubtedly important -, but the risk of the blond being late for the game was also very great - even if they set both their alarm clocks, as they'd tried twice before. In the end, they each slept in his own bed, looking at one another . It was the best alternative they could think of.

The morning of the game rose sunny but very cold, and much as most students loved the sport, they all - including the players themselves - felt very lazy when the time came to go down to the Pitch. The freezing wind that began blowing didn't help their case, lifting the fresh snow from the ground and throwing it on top of them. But eventually they all reached their destination and the whistle signaling the beginning of the game was blown.

If it was cold for those watching from the bleachers, the situation was much worse for those in the air, who were so covered up it was barely possible to find exposed skin. The winter clothes also affected the players' performance, making them less agile, and consequently, the game move at a slower pace. But Scorpius was determined to catch the snitch for Albus - as they'd seen so many do for their dates at the time - and it turned out to be one of the fastest matches ever played in Hogwarts.

Mostly everybody in school - students and staff alike - had noticed the boys' change of behavior: Albus had stopped losing points and causing trouble in class; Scorpius was doing particularly well in Quidditch, both in practice and in the first game of the year; and they were both participating more in class. But Rose Weasley noticed more. The boys seemed closer than before and, most importantly, now they were talking again, Albus looked happy again. Which could only mean one thing: Scorpius had been the cause of whatever was wrong with her cousin, and she wasn't about to let him get away with it.

But catching the blond on his own now was even harder than before - and Albus would probably kill her if she said anything in front of him. It took her weeks of trying, but finally they had been assigned enough homework to keep the brunet from watching the Slytherin Quidditch practice, and she didn't hesitate to seize her chance.

As the players usually left the Pitch around the same time, the girl only had to wait for a few minutes to see the blond walking out of the changing room towards the castle, on his own.

"Hey, Malfoy!" She called loudly, rushing a few steps to catch up with the boy.

"What do you want, Weasley?" He replied looking briefly over his shoulder, without stopping.

"I want to talk to you. Think you can manage that?"

"I have nothing to talk to you about."

"Well, listen to me, then."

"Why should I?" He replied, already slightly angry - the girl never had anything nice to say to him -, stopping and turning around.

Rose jumped back in surprise, but quickly recomposed herself. "Because I care about Albus."

"And yelling at me is going to help how, exactly?"

"I'm not yelling." She frowned.

"But you will soon." He muttered under his breath, avoiding her eyes and impatiently adjusting the backpack on his shoulder.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "It was evidently your fault what happened to him. And I still haven't found out what it was, but I'll make sure you pay for it, you hear me? My cousin isn't some toy you can play with when you want and abandon when you don't."

"You really shouldn't talk about what you don't know, Weasley." He raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. "And have you ever considered not placing blame on me? That maybe it was both of our faults? And, especially, considered that this is none of your business?"

"Anything concerning my family is my business, Malfoy."

"No, it's not. It may be a hard concept for you to understand, but even family members are entitled to have private lives."

"You make it sound like I'm intruding when I'm-"

"Because you are, Weasley. But you know what? I won't argue with you anymore. I have better things to do, and Al is waiting for me." He replied, marching towards the castle again.

"Come back here! I'm not done with you!" She called after him, running to try and keep up.

"You know, Weasley," He said, without looking at her or slowing down. "Al is really lucky to have family members who actually care about him, and want to protect him. But you, all of you, really need to learn when to stop. Or I swear, it'll end pushing you apart."

"I don't need your advice on how to deal with my own family, Malfoy." She snorted.

He narrowed his eyes at her, sustaining the look for a long moment before shrugging. "Suit yourself." He replied simply, walking into the castle. "I'm going that way." He said, turning on the first corridor that appeared, and waiting for a while until he no longer could hear her steps echoing. He sighed before heading to his common room.

"So, how was practice?" Albus asked with as smile as he sat beside him on the couch by the fire.

Scorpius sighed. "It was fine. How's homework?"

"Endless." They smiled at each other. "I've separated what you'll need for Transfiguration and History of Magic, but I'm still working on Arithmancy."

"Do I ever thank you for continuously saving my life?" The blond joked, reaching one hand to touch Albus's, but realizing in time what he was doing and pulling back as they shared a meaningful look.

"I don't mind it, and you know it." He replied honestly. "Now go on. You have a lot to read still, and we don't have those many days to finish this."

"I know, I know..." He mumbled with a smile, reaching for the nearest book.

The blond chose not to mention his little encounter with the boy's cousin, knowing it would do him no good and would only upset his friend. Besides, it wasn't anything too out of the ordinary, and in no time it was gone from his mind as well. After all, if it was hard enough to think about school when he could be thinking about his boyfriend, to care about some minor discussion with someone who'd been butting into his business was nearly impossible.

A few days later, Scorpius grabbed Albus's hand as they exited their Charms lesson, and pulled him on the opposite way of the students returning to their Common Rooms. They shared a complicity-filled smile before looking around to see if anyone was watching them. After two turns, the blond let go of the hand he was still holding, as they heard a group of students headed their way, and waited until they were in a different corridor before making physical contact again.

He led them both to a hidden courtyard in the back of the school's main building, where students and professors alike rarely went. They were both giggling a little when they stopped running, and Scorpius made a soft caress on the other boy's cheek with his free hand before pulling him to a snow-covered bench. Ignoring the white blanket covering it, the blond sat down and Albus sat on his lap, one knee to each side of his legs, before cupping his face and kissing him, slowly at first, but quickly growing more passionately.

The longer they were together, the harder it seemed for both of them to spend any time apart. Being able to only "accidentally" brush knees and shoulders all day long felt like a cruel torture for both of them, so they couldn't wait to get more out of each other. It'd become a habit for them to have quick make-out sessions in dusty classrooms and dark corners every time they had the chance - as did pretty much every other couple in school -, and yet the thirst for one another only ever seemed to grow.

"You taste so good." Albus whispered against the lips covering his own, smiling.

"So do you." Scorpius replied, kissing him again, before leaving a wet and warm trail down his jaw and to his neck.

Albus moaned in a low voice. "You know you drive me crazy when you do that, right?"

Scorpius just smiled naughtily, licking and sucking his way up to catch the brunet's earlobe and make him moan once more. It didn't take long for lips to meet again, Albus's hands pulling the other boy by the neck as close as he could, while the blond's hands rested on his hips, teasing him with slow caresses over his school robes. The brunet had one hand firmly dug into the platinum blond locks, and was preparing to brand the very pale neck with his lips and teeth when the two were forced apart, Albus flying into a snow-covered bush and Scorpius going over the bench they were sitting in and against a wall. It took them a moment to catch their breaths and look around, trying to assess what had happened.

Standing a few feet away was a very flushed and angry James Potter, his trembling wand pointed their way.


	28. Chapter 28

******Author's Note:** I just wanted to thank everybody who leaves me reviews. I normally reply to each message directly, but since I've had a few guests leaving me notes, I'd just like them to know they're equally appreciated! It's a big encouragement to know there's people out there enjoying what I write!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

"What are you doing, James?" Albus asked angrily, getting up and running to where the blond was still fallen. "Are you okay, Scorp?" He asked, kneeling beside him.

"Yeah, don't worry." He replied with a faint smile, rubbing the spot where his head hit the wall.

They got up and turned to the other boy watching them almost in shock, but were interrupted before they could say anything.

"Stay away from my brother, Malfoy." He threatened, hatred bleeding through his voice, his wand still pointed at them.

"What the hell, James?" Albus was almost yelling at him now, and he put himself between the other two, to protect his friend. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What are _you_ doing, Al? With... With that-"

"Al-" Scorpius called, but the brunet interrupted him, without looking away from the brown eyes staring as intensely at him as he was at them.

"No, Scorp, I'm not going to pretend to be nice. You've crossed the line here, James! What were you thinking? What are you even doing here in the first place? Were you following me? _Spying_ on me?"

"It's nothing like that! I saw you two running off, and it looked like you were up to something, so I thought-"

"Up to something? Since when are we up to something? We're not you-"

"No, Al, seriously. I don't think I'm that well after all." He said with a faint voice, touching the boy's shoulder with one hand, and an alarmed Albus turned around just in time to see the blond bring his bloody hand forward and faint.

He grabbed Scorpius the best he could to avoid him collapsing into the ground, ending up on his knees from the weight he was sustaining. His heart started racing and he tried to think about what to do. Part of him just wanted to yell at his brother for what he'd caused, how he'd acted, and another just wanted to beg for help, for him to do something about the boy passed out in his arms. He hesitated for a moment, looking at Scorpius's face, even paler than usual, before moving his eyes to a James who seemed ready to flight.

"Oh, no you don't!" Albus said angrily at the boy. "You come here and help me take him to the Hospital Wing, James! Right now!"

The older Potter seemed again to be a little in shock, though this time at the thought of having injured, possibly seriously, another student, and what consequences it might bring to him. So almost absent-mindedly he did what he was told, and the two brunets put one of Scorpius's arms around their necks and slowly carried him to Madam Pomfrey. As soon as they entered the room, the old healer ordered them to leave the blond in one of the beds, and while she ran diagnostic spells on him, she also ordered James to stay put - he seemed to have recovered from the accident and was ready to bolt.

Albus watched the healer work in tense silence for long minutes, casting spells and administering potions, until she finally sighed and turned to them, almost smiling.

"He'll be okay." She said at last, and the youngest Potter let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"W-What happened?" He asked hesitantly.

"I should be the one asking that, young man." She said severely.

"He, hm, hit his head." James said before his brother had the chance.

"And how did that happen?" She raised a suspicious eyebrow. She'd seen plenty of injuries in her time, and though the students never seemed to realize it, magic left clear traces.

"James did it." Albus was faster this time, his anger towards the other boy very evident in his tone .

"W-What he means, Madam Pomfrey, is that, hm, I, I saw them, and thought... Well, I thought they were fighting, and that I should, you know, split them up before they got hurt. I guess I overdid it a little." He faked an embarrassed smile.

"Is it so, Mr. Potter?" She turned to Albus, who wasn't exactly sure how to reply. He desperately wanted to tell the truth, but at the same time, James was still his brother, and he still had, weak as it might be, the impulse to protect him.

"W-What happened to Scorpius, Madam Pomfrey?" He decided changing the subject would be the best approach.

The old healer sighed. "He's had a minor concussion from the impact. He'll be fine with some rest, and I have some potions to speed up his recovery. So, the two of you, out." She concluded, pushing them towards the door.

"C-can't I stay with him? I promise I won't make a sound!" Albus pleaded.

"He'll be asleep until the morning, Mr. Potter. You can visit him then." She said strictly as they reached the door and she closed them out.

Albus sighed, turning to his brother. "Happy now?" He asked with a tired voice. "You finally did it. Finally hurt him."

"I..." He cleared his throat, uneasy. "It was all your fault anyway. If you hadn't... been doing that-"

"It was none of your business, James!"

"What you mean, none of my business? You're my brother! Or did you forget that already?"

"I-" He started, letting out a frustrated sound. Sometimes James was impossible to talk to. "Just because you're my brother, it doesn't mean you're in charge of _my_ life, James."

"Well, I'm in charge of guiding you, and evidently you've gone off track-"

"Why? Because I'm friends with a Malfoy? Because I'm a Slytherin? Or because..." He swallowed hard, trying to undo the lump on his throat. He'd never said it out loud before. "Because we're together?"

"Together? Don't make me laugh, Albus." He said sarcastically. "Whatever you're doing with him, I'm sure it's just... I don't know, a game, a phase or whatever. If you want to _really_ be with someone, I'll be more than glad to introduce you to plenty of girls, who are far more interesting than that weasel."

"You know, James, it's a shame you see things like that." He said in a low, very controlled voice. "I really miss what we used to have, but you evidently can't accept that I've changed, and I'm afraid unless you do, we won't get along. And now things have changed again, like it or not. Scorpius is my boyfriend now, and if you do anything, anything at all to him, James, I swear I'll never forgive you."

"Well, break up with him, then. Get away from him, and I'll leave him alone." He threatened.

"No, James. You're not telling me what to do, and you're not blackmailing me."

"I'll tell mom and dad, then." A tone of despair was evident in his voice. He knew he was losing the argument, and he hated to lose.

Albus took a deep breath. From the moment he saw James standing there, he knew it was a very real possibility, and wasn't too sure just how far he was willing to go to protect their secret.

James smiled, feeling more confident. "Break up with him or I'll tell mom and dad, Albus."

"You know what? Tell them, James. If you must, go ahead. But it won't change how I feel about Scorp. It'll only change how I feel about you." He replied quietly before walking away, trembling slightly at the weight of his own decision. It was only a matter of hours now before he got a howler from his mother, and the whole school found out. Hopefully his family wouldn't disown him for that.

Dinner that night was very tense, and Albus wasn't able to sleep more than a couple of frequently interrupted hours. He was at the infirmary door even before breakfast was served, and after pacing around for several minutes, he decided to go ahead, entering the room as silently as he could. He was halfway to Scorpius's bed, thinking he'd done a good job sneaking in, when he saw Madam Pomfrey coming out of her room and let out a defeated sigh.

"What do you think you're doing, Mr. Potter?" She asked severely in a whisper.

"You said-"

"Morning, Mr. Potter! Now shoo! You come back after you've eaten, and if Mr. Malfoy is awake, maybe we can discuss it then."

"But-"

"No buts! Out!" She replied, pushing him towards the door.

He stuck a tongue out, but complied with the order he'd been given. He sat alone in the Great Hall for almost half an hour until breakfast began being served, and he played with his food for a long time, trying not very successfully to push something down. He finally got tired of waiting and returned to the Hospital Wing, to find the healer tending to some patients. She sighed when she saw him, telling him with gestures to go ahead and wait by Scorpius's bed, where the boy still slept.

After a couple of minutes, Madam Pomfrey disappeared into her office again, and after looking around to make sure the other patients were asleep, Albus reached for the blond's hand, caressing it softly and putting a lot of effort into not saying anything. He was just sleeping, he insisted with himself, and he needs to rest. He was already looking better, he thought, not as pale as the day before. His lips were already very red again, and seemingly in response to his observing, the sleeping boy parted them, making the brunet smile to himself.

He almost jumped in place, letting go of the hand he was holding, as the old healer entered his field of vision.

"Don't worry about it, dear." She said with a kind smile. "I worked out you were... More than friends a while ago, you know. And I don't mind it."

"R-really?" He asked hesitantly.

"Really." She smiled again. "But now, if you don't mind stepping back so I can work on him?"

"Oh, hm, sure." He smiled embarrassed.

She ran spells on him and administered another potion, but the boy continued to sleep. Albus was determined not to leave the room without at least talking to the blond, but time was passing fast and nothing happened.

"I understand you want to be here when he wakes up, son, but I can't let you be late for class." She said kindly after treating the last patient, walking their way.

"But Madam Pomfrey-"

"I promise you he'll be fine, okay? He just needs to rest."

"O-okay." He said reluctantly with a nod, letting go of Scorpius's hand and walking out the door.

He was barely able to pay attention to any of his morning classes, but by the time he returned to the Hospital Wing, the blond was well awake and chatting to a first-year in the bed beside him. He sighed, relieved, when he saw him from the door, and had to try really hard not to run to his bed and jump on him. He still needed to rest, after all.

"How are you?" He asked, standing at the foot of the bed, his heart pounding in his chest.

"I'm fine, Al. Don't worry." He smiled honestly, and the brunet felt his body relax, even though he knew, rationally, that there was nothing to worry about.

"As if I could." He muttered with smile.

"I was just telling Michael here that it's not so bad to fall from a broom, right, Al? He's had an accident in his flying lessons and broke an arm."

"I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will have you cured in no time." Albus smiled.

Michael nodded. "She already fixed my arm, but it's hurting a lot, so she said I'll have to stay here another night."

"Are you only learning to ride it this year?" Albus asked, sitting on the end of the blond's bed. The little boy nodded. "It's not as easy as it seems, right?"

"I remember falling a few times when I got my first broom." Scorpius said with a smile.

"Did you?" Albus raised his eyebrows, surprised. The other boy nodded. "Well, we'd never have thought that about Slytherin's seeker, would we?"

"You're a seeker?" The boy's eyes seemed to shine with the information.

"You bet. Are you interested in Quidditch?"

Michael nodded vehemently. "I wanted to try for the team some time, but now..."

"Don't worry about it. All you have to do is practice a lot, and I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time." Scorpius smiled encouragingly.

"What stupid ideas are you putting into my student's head, Mr. Malfoy?" Madam Pomfrey asked with a smile, as she walked their way.

"Nothing stupid, I promise." He smiled back.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm great! Can I go now?"

She rolled her eyes. "What happened to you was very serious, young man. I'm keeping you for another night, and not a word about it." She added as he opened his mouth to complain. "And if you behave, I'll let you out tomorrow." She added as she walked away.

"Well, it could be worse." The blond said with a shrug, and they smiled at each other.

Scorpius was indeed released the following morning (unfortunately, in time to go to class), but was forbidden to do any physical activity - namely, attend Quidditch practice - for another two weeks, pending another evaluation of his progress.

For a few days after his argument with James, Albus expect nervously to receive a howler from his mother, forbidding him (uselessly) to even _be_ around Scorpius, and was surprised and even a little confused when none came. But there was no surprise or confusion when the blond began tripping frequently on the hallways, have his belongings flying around the castle (when they didn't disappear) and other _incidents_ for which no responsible could be found. The only constant was James laughing several feet away.

They tried ignoring it at first, and both boys became very good at casting minor defensive spells wandlessly and nonverbally (it did pay off to study hard, after all, they found out), but it only seemed to anger the older Potter even more. After acting from behind the curtains for over a month - and very rarely being caught -, James got tired of that game and started attacking Scorpius more directly, hitting him with minor hexes whenever there were no professors around.

"Enough, isn't it, James?" Albus asked one afternoon, after they'd defended themselves from yet another attack. "No matter how much you try, it changes nothing, so leave us alone already!"

"I'm giving you a chance to change your mind, Albus. I'm trying to help you. But if you won't let me, I'm left with no other choice." He replied equally angry, the rest of the students in the hall stopping to watch them.

"No, James, that's not your choice. The only choice you have it to accept that you can't control me and start acting like a real brother and support my decisions!"

"What is going on here?" Professor Williamson asked, making his way through the crowd.

"It's nothing, Professor." Scorpius stepped forward while the two brunets continued to exchange hateful looks. "They had a minor disagreement, but we're already leaving, right, Al?" He asked, pulling the boy by the arm.

"Is that so?" The professor raised a very justifiably suspicious eyebrow.

"Yes, Professor." Jordan quickly agreed, pulling James the other way.

"Very well, then. Off you go." He turned to the other students watching. "And all of you, there's nothing to see here! Go mind your own businesses!" He ordered, and in no time everybody was gone.

Scorpius dragged his boyfriend to their common room, where they both sat by the fire. "Why do you keep defending him?" Albus asked, frustrated. "Even after all he's done to you?"

"Because he's your brother, Al. And the two of you need to get along."

"But that's between him and me. It's got nothing to do with you. You don't have to take any of it."

"No, Al. You're fighting about me, which makes me a part of it. And if I fight back, he'll feel even more threatened."

"You're too good, Scorp." He said with a smile, cursing everybody around that kept him from kissing the boy.

"I'm just trying to help. You're lucky to have siblings, and I refuse to stand between you." They smiled at each other again. "But that's enough of that. We still have to finish that essay for tomorrow, and the two for Friday."

"Uh, don't remind me." He complained, making a face, and Scorpius laughed.

For the rest of the week, there was no sign of James anywhere, and they were beginning to believe the argument had had some effect after all. As many other students, they decided to spend the sunny Saturday afternoon outdoors, and as they walked to their spot by the lake, they ran into Frankie, who invited them to join him and his sister under a tree near the Forbidden Forest. After sharing a quick glance, they agreed, and the three talked and laughed all the way to where Gabby and her boyfriend were sitting.

Between working on their homework and chatting, it turned out to be a very pleasant afternoon for all of them. With the sun about to set, they were considering packing their things to return to the castle when James showed up, followed by Jordan and three other Gryffindor boys, all older than him.

"Hi there, little brother." He said with a smirk.

"What do you want, James?" Albus replied already reaching for his wand. Scorpius's hand on his forearm made him stop, and he saw the boy shake his head slowly before leaving the object in his pocket.

"Me? Nothing." James replied, getting his attention again. "But you see, the thing is, I made a promise to these guys." He pointed to the boys behind him. "And they want me to fulfill it." The seventh-years nodded.

"And what does that have to do with us, James?"

"You? Nothing, Frankie. So if you and Gabby and... Whoever that is want to leave, we won't stop you."

"What do you want, James?" Albus repeated.

"I've got this spell, you see. Fred taught me a while ago, so it took me some practice to get it right, isn't it, Jordan? " The boy nodded. "And, well... I promised them they'd get to see Malfoy in his underwear." And before any of them could react, the older Potter had pulled out his wand. "_Levicorpus_!"

Scorpius suddenly found himself upside down, and with another flick of James's wand, he was trying to hold his pants in place with his hands as best as he could, while the brunet and his friends laughed loudly. Before anybody could do anything - Albus was ready to drop his wand and punch his brother in the face -, Snape's voice came raging towards them.

"Oh, no, you don't, Potter!" And on the next second, James had flown a few feet back and Scorpius was returned easily to the ground. "What do you think you're doing, Potter?" He demanded angrily, marching towards the boy still on the ground. "And you!" He said, turning to the boys trying to flee and tying them with magical bonds. "Two weeks of detention for each of you for encouraging that barbaric act. With me personally." They heard the boys groan, foreseeing the pain it would cause. Without cutting them loose, he turned to James. "And you, Potter..." He said slowly, clearly enjoying the moment.

"I-It was only a joke, Professor! I-I-"

"A joke? A _joke_? No, Potter. It was far worse than that. It was..." He smirked. "Very serious. And so you can understand it, you'll be serving a month of detention with me."

"But professor-"

"A month and a half, then, Potter."

The boy opened his mouth to protest, but sensibly shut it again. Snape still had the Gryffindor boys tied and his wand pointed at James, deciding what to do next, when Neville came running from the direction his greenhouses were.

"Professor Snape! What are you doing?" He asked alarmed, breathless from the sprint. The Potions Master sent him a deadly look, making him cower as much as he always had. But a deep breath and a look to the boys on the ground later, he decided to insist. "What is going on here?"

Snape snorted, almost outraged to be questioned, especially by that colleague. "I was on my way to your greenhouses, _Professor_. When I noticed these students -" He motioned with his head towards the boys on the floor, his wand permanently pointed at James. "Approaching my students and your children, and of course it could only mean trouble. Before I could get close enough, Potter there was holding Mr. Malfoy... in a humiliating position, so I was forced to... interfere."

"And the other boys?"

"Caught trying to escape punishment."

"Which has already been assigned, I presume?"

"Indeed."

"So you can..." He chose his words carefully, afraid of turning Snape's anger his way. "Release them, maybe?" Snape looked at Neville for a long minute before flickering his wand and making the bonds disappear. The boys who were tied ran as fast as they could once they were free, making Snape roll his eyes. "And Mr. Potter?"

James still hadn't said anything, for fear of having to serve detentions during his holiday.

"Very well." He said finally, putting his wand down. "Be in my office tonight at eight."

"Y-yes, professor." He stuttered before running off.

"And you, kids, you better get going as well, right? It's getting dark." He said turning to Albus and his friends, who nodded, picking up their things. "What can I help you with, Professor Snape?" He said, turning to the man with a smile that disappeared almost instantly.

"I beg your pardon?"

Neville cleared his throat. "Y-you said you were on your way to the greenhouses?"

"Ah, yes, indeed." He replied as they started walking. "I'm in short supply of some potions ingredients..." He began as Neville rushed after him.

Scorpius was a bit shaken, and Albus was very angry at his brother, but nothing compared to the rage running through James's veins. In his eyes, not only Scorpius had broken up his family and taken Albus from him, but now he would have to serve detentions every day with the Greasy Git until his last week before holiday. And he wasn't about to let the boy get away with that easily.

After Snape's interference, the boys finally got a break from James's constant picking, and fell back into their old routines. With the traditional last game of Quidditch of the season - Slytherin vs. Gryffindor - approaching fast, they spent more and more time down by the pitch, even when the team wasn't around: feeling guilty about the two weeks he wasn't able to practice, Scorpius used most of his free time trying to catch up. The last Friday before the big match, as usual, they had the last period free, and decided to take advantage of it and headed to the Quidditch Pitch.

"So, you'll be doing your usual routine today?" Albus asked with a smile, waiting for the blond to get changed.

"Probably, why?" Came the reply from the stall where Scorpius was hidden. Even though there was nobody else around, he still felt a little insecure about showing his body to the brunet.

"Nothing." He stood up as the other boy came out, kissing him softly on the lips. "I was just wondering if you don't get bored with it."

"Why, do you get bored of watching me?" He teased, gaining a light punch on the arm. "Well, you never want to help me, so what choice to I have?" He smiled jokingly, taking his broom from his locker.

"Fine. So maybe I will, then." Albus replied, watching the blond's face light up.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah." He smiled, gaining a lazy kiss.

"Okay, then. Hold on. I'll get another broom." He said excited, handing his own broom to Albus.

"I'll go ahead, then." He said out loud. "We can play a little tag to warm up!"

Albus walked out of the changing room and into the field, the warm sun greeting him and blinding him for a moment. He blinked a few times to watch away the feeling before mounting on the broom and pushing it up.

Immediately he knew there was something wrong. He tried going back down, but the broom wouldn't obey him, so he held on the best he could as he was taken higher and higher up. Then, suddenly, it stopped, and he looked down, barely being able to make out the pitch on the ground, taking deep breaths and trying to stay calm.

Scorpius exited the changing room with a smile, excited, just in time to see Albus be thrown off his broom and hear the boy scream his name as he fell.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

Severus paced impatiently around the Headmistress office, waiting for Minerva. Even after all this time, he still felt terribly guilty about what he'd done, and it was ten times worse every time he had to enter that room. Especially because of the way Dumbledore's portrait's looked at him, the exact same way the former Headmaster used to. Impatiently, he walked away from the desk above which sat Dumbledore's portrait and towards a window, his eyes running inattentively through the grounds he knew so well.

He sighed softly. It was still too cold for anybody to be out, even though the last snow had long melt. He was about to walk away when he spotted somebody in a broom, going way too high, over where the Quidditch Pitch stood. He wasn't aware of any teams having practice at that time, and either way, it was far higher than any player would have to fly, no matter what they were practicing. He opened the window, inhaling sharply the cold air and leaning forward for a better view and already preparing his speech and the punishment for whoever that might be, when his senses alerted him something was wrong. A fraction of a second later, he watched as the broom threw it's flier off, and the student began falling, almost in slow motion.

He was too far for any magic to work, and he couldn't apparate to the field, so he was forced to use a resource he hadn't even thought about since the war had ended. He flew out of the window and reached what now he could see was a boy just seconds before he hit the ground, protecting him with his own body, falling on his back and sliding several feet before stopping. He clenched his teeth at the pain he felt quickly spreading through his body, sitting up the best he could while trying to assess the boy's condition. Though apparently unharmed, the boy was unconscious, and he quickly cast a spell to have him levitate as he began making his way to the Hospital Wing, limping a lot more without his cane. He saw as a blond boy ran on his direction, followed by an older brunet a few steps back, and didn't need any explanations to understand what had happened.

"Professor! Is he alright?" Scorpius asked worriedly, finally reaching Severus and changing directions, practically running again just to keep up.

"He seems unharmed, but since he's unconscious, it's for the best that Poppy takes a look at him." He replied shortly. "And you, Potter..." He turned to the brunet, and they exchanged looks of pure hatred. "Wait for me at the Headmistress office. And you better be there when I arrive, or I'll make sure you regret it."

He ignored the protests and questions that followed, and arrived at the infirmary in a matter of minutes. After a few brief words with the healer, he lowered the brunet boy onto a bed and watched as diagnostic spells were cast over him, breathing relieved to know he indeed hadn't been injured. His mind turned to the next problem at his hands, the older Potter boy, as he walked past the heavy wooden doors and met a very anxious blond boy waiting for him.

"Is he alright, sir?"

"He's in perfect health, Mr. Malfoy. It's really lucky, considering what he's gone through." He turned to leave, but stopped as he heard the boy's voice again.

"Do you... Think I can get in?"

He turned to Scorpius and analyzed him for several seconds. "If... You promise to be quiet and not disturb Mr. Potter in any way, you may get in, and tell Poppy I said so, for she will protest." He replied before walking away.

Severus met Minerva on his way to her office, and filled her in as they walked up the tower, after assuring her that Albus was fine. She was shocked by what she heard, and part of her refused to believe it, at least until she heard James's side of the story. The boy was prudently waiting by the entrance when they got there, and the three of them climbed the stone steps in silence.

"Take a seat, Mr. Potter." She offered, sitting across the desk from him. Severus opted to stand by the empty chair. "I have been informed of what happened, Mr. Potter. But I would like to hear it from you before making any decisions."

"I-It was an accident, ma'am." She raised an eyebrow at him, and Severus snorted. "I didn't mean to hurt Albus, I swear! It was only a prank, and he wasn't even supposed to be on that broom!" He urged, looking from one professor to the other.

"No, Mr. Malfoy was, and then it would've been fine, wouldn't it, Mr. Potter?"

"Severus, please!" Minerva hissed at him, and they exchanged a long look before the man began pacing around the office. "What was that... _prank _of yours, Mr. Potter?"

"He was just supposed to lose control a little. And to make a fool of himself falling. And he shouldn't use his broom before the match, so there would be plenty of people to help him. He shouldn't be injured too badly..." He almost whispered the last part.

"But he was supposed to get injured, is that what you're saying?" She raised her eyebrow again, and James looked down, embarrassed.

"It wouldn't be anything too serious."

"And who is _he_, Mr. Potter?"

"That Malfoy boy."

"It's just like it was with his grandfather, Minerva! It's happening all over again!" He urged, incapable of remaining silent for any longer. "If I hadn't seen it, the boy would most certainly be dead. And Potter _knew_ it. Evidently, he has no remorse for putting a fellow student's life at stake, only that the victim was his own brother instead of Mr. Malfoy! He should be immediately expelled!"

"What? You can't do that!" James stood up, revolted.

"Please, the two of you, calm down!" Minerva had also stood up, and looked severely from one to the other until she was sure they had regained control of themselves. "Nobody is being expelled at the present moment, Mr. Potter. I'll have to think about what is the most suitable punishment for you, and bear in mind that your actions _are_ grounds for expulsion indeed. Until I have decided on your punishment, I strongly advise you to watch your step very carefully, Mr. Potter. One more toe out of line, and I won't think twice before expelling you. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." He said angrily between his teeth.

"Very well, then. You can go now." She waited in silence as the boy made his way out before turning to Severus. "Now, Severus-"

"He must be expelled, Minerva. He was ready to kill another student, he was just unfortunate enough that it happened to be his own brother. Just as his namesakes were, hadn't Potter cowered out on the last minute."

"Severus, I understand it must bring very painful memories to you, but if you are unable to leave your personal feelings aside, I will be forced to dismiss your usually very valuable advice."

"You can't be serious, Minerva. You know what happened last time. And just because they were Potter and Black, they got off with a slap on the wrist, while I, the victim, was intimidated into keeping somebody else's secret. That lot has to understand they can't get away with anything just for being who they are."

"I understand your concerns, Severus, but I think everybody deserves a second chance, don't you?" The man opened his mouth to protest, but closed it again as he heard her following words. "Even you did, didn't you, Severus?" They looked at each other for long minutes before he broke eye contact, snoring. "I believe the Potters have already arrived. If you can keep your temper under control, I would appreciate your company. You are, after all, the one who knows the best what happened." He looked at her for another moment before turning around, billowing his cape, and walking out. He never saw the soft smile that formed on her lips as she followed him. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter. How is he?" She asked as they entered the infirmary and made their way to the boy's bed.

"He's still asleep, but Madam Pomfrey says he'll fully recover." Harry said with a hesitant smile, relief clear in his expression. "What happened?"

"Your son, Mr. Potter, cursed Mr. Malfoy's broom, and had the boy thrown off it from several hundred feet in the air." Severus said briefly, staring intently at the couple, reading their reactions. Not that their emotions, especially Ginny's, weren't obvious through their words.

"No way! James would never do anything like that! Not my son, not my Jamie!" The redhead protested out loud, and Harry put an arm around her, urging her to lower her voice. "James likes to pull pranks, fine, but he'd never knowingly would put his brother's life in danger. There must be some mistake... Professor Snape." She looked at him with those same eyes he remembered from her school years. Accusing eyes.

"There is no mistake, Mrs. ... Potter. Your son has admitted to his own actions, as well as that they were aimed at Mr. Malfoy. The involvement of his younger brother was... an unfortunate accident, as he insisted."

"James wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone, _Professor._ Whatever he's said, there must be some kind of mistake. I want to talk to him."

"Gin, calm down. I'm sure we'll get a chance to talk to Jamie shortly, and as soon as Albus wakes up, we'll get his version of the story as well." He said reassuringly, holding her by the shoulders and looking into her eyes. They maintained eye contact for another moment before she snorted, crossing her arms on her chest, and Harry sighed. "I understand you saved him, Professor Snape."

"That is correct, Mr. Potter."

"Thank you." He said humbly, bowing his head slightly. "I honestly don't know what else to say. Thank you, Professor."

"It was just part of my job, Mr. Potter, so you can stop that now." He replied, slightly uncomfortable.

"I'm sure you're still very worried about young Mr. Potter, but would you care to join me in my office? I'll have Poppy alert us for any changes, and I'd like to discuss the situation of James Potter the earliest possible."

"I'm not leaving my son." Ginny said definitively.

Harry sighed. "I know you're worried, but he'll be safe here, Gin."

"I understand how you feel, Mrs. Potter, but there is nothing we can do about your son right now but to let him rest. If his condition changes in any way, there's nobody more capable of caring for him than Poppy, and I'm sure she'll let us know what happened immediately."

"I'm sorry, Headmistress, but I'm not leaving his side."

"Have it your way, Mrs. Potter." Snape replied impatiently. "Mr. Potter, if you would like us to join us to discuss your son's situation?"

"Yes, of course." He smiled briefly, turning back to his wife. "Are you sure you don't want to come, Gin? You won't believe James might've done anything bad unless you hear it firsthand."

"I will talk to my son in private, and take a position from there." She assured, dragging an armchair closer to the bed.

"If you say so." Harry said, tired. "Shall we go, then?" He smiled at the other two and they walked out in silence.

"Please have a seat, Harry, Severus." McGonagall pointed to the two chairs in front of her desk, and the two men complied. If the situation wasn't so serious, she would've been surprised at how perfectly civilizedly the two men were treating each other; it was, after all, the first time she saw them interact since the great battle. "I'm aware you know the situation with your son is very serious, Harry. And I mean the oldest one, of course."

"I know. Is it true, though? That he admitted to causing that... accident?" He asked, frowning a little, and the woman nodded slowly.

"I'm afraid so."

"I knew he... didn't like Scorpius, and that he liked to... pull pranks on people, but I never thought he'd go that far." He said quietly, deep in thought.

"And that's not the first time he's had problems with Mr. Malfoy. Very recently, there's been another incident in the school grounds, but fortunately Severus was around to make sure it didn't become anything more serious."

"You saved my son again, then?" Harry asked with a smile, and Snape rolled his eyes.

"It would seem it's my destiny, always saving Potters." He said sarcastically. "Which leads us to our most pressing problem, Potter's punishment. Now, he's already in detention with me for the next month and a half, but-"

"Month and a half?" Harry raised his eyebrows, slightly amused. "What did he do to get that?"

"Your son was-"

"It was the incident I mentioned." McGonagall interrupted, gaining a not-friendly-at-all glance form the older man. "Right before what happened at the Quidditch Pitch today, Severus was here to discuss with me that... exaggerated punishment."

"It's not an exaggeration!" He hissed. "It's the only way that..." He looked briefly at Harry before choosing his words. "_Boy_ will learn some respect and-"

"A month and half is too much for nearly anything he might've done, Severus." McGonagall said severely.

"Well, evidently it isn't, because look at what happened." They exchanged a long look, and Harry just sat back, watching the interaction. It was more fascinating than he thought it could be. "Either way, as I've said for the past nearly six years now, that boy is uncorrectable. Traditional punishments evidently have no effect on him, so we're left with no choice but to have him expelled."

"Expelled?" Harry asked, surprised. "I know his actions could've had a very... tragic ending, but perhaps there is another way?" As much as he knew James deserved to be punished, even to him it seemed a little too much.

"You must know that is indeed a possibility, Harry." McGonagall replied. "However, I also wouldn't like to go that far, if it could be avoided."

"What sort of lesson will you teach him if he can nearly kill a fellow student and all the punishment he gets is detention?" Severus asked, clearly annoyed at the turn the situation was taking. "He evidently has no regards for rules-"

"This is about my dad, isn't it?" Harry interrupted him with a sad smile. "I'm sorry for what happened to you, but my son isn't my father-"

"They're evidently very much alike, considering-"

"Would you two please stop that?" McGonagall asked, speaking louder than both and gaining their attention. "I understand your point of view, Severus, but we've been through that before. We're here to try to find an alternative punishment for Mr. Potter, and if you're unwilling or incapable of cooperating in that sense, I'll ask you to please leave my office."

He looked at her for several minutes, challenging her with his eyes, before snorting and looking away, to which she shook her head briefly.

"Very well, then. There is no doubt Mr. Potter needs to be severely punished. However, I was considering a different approach from the school norm, as detentions do sound too light for his deeds." The two men nodded. "I was considering cutting his privileges, such as his visits to Hogsmeade, and having him expelled from the Quidditch team, under the condition that, if he's caught pulling any sort of prank on any student, whichever it may be, will result in his immediate expulsion."

"What makes you think he'll take this punishment any more serious than any other?" Snape said sarcastically. "He'll have nothing else to lose, so what's to stop him from effectively killing Mr. Malfoy now?"

"My son is not a murderer, Snape." Harry said firmly, and the two locked eyes for a long moment, defiantly, before he looked away. "I know he won't be satisfied at all with that, but he's had it coming. And I hope he'll see how valuable his education is, since it'll be all he'll have." He nodded at McGonagall. "I just thought that, perhaps, it may be helpful for him to spend some time working for George, during summer. I thought-"

"You don't think he has plenty of bad ideas yet, so you want to join him with that terrible boy? Have you not gone to school when he and his brother did, Potter? Or have you forgotten all about that already?"

"No, Snape, actually, I thought James is very similar to what the twins used to be, and seeing how they managed to turn it into an extremely successful and profitable business, my son could learn to do the same."

"It is a risky idea, Harry." McGonagall pondered. "But it just might be the encouragement he needs. And perhaps it'll do poor George Weasley some good; he's barely been a shade of himself since he lost his brother." Harry nodded again. "Very well, then. I'll have Mr. Potter in my office first thing in the morning, tomorrow. Now I believe you'd like to return to your son, Harry?"

"Yes, I think it would be for the best." He smiled, tired.

"Poppy said he's not expected to wake up until tomorrow, so you and your wife are welcome to spend the night in the castle. I could arrange to have the elves turn one of our unused rooms into a provisory bedroom?"

"That would be great, thanks." He said with an honest smile. "Though I doubt Ginny will want to leave Albus's bedside."

"I'm sure ever a concerned mother understands there's nothing to be done and it's for the best that she, as well, takes some rest." She smiled kindly at the man in front of her. "Would you mind asking the elves on your way down to arrange everything, Severus?"

"Of course, Headmistress." He hissed, clearly angry about the whole situation, before excusing himself.

"I'll accompany you to the Hospital Wing." McGonagall offered, standing up. "I too would like to check on the boy once again." She smiled, and the two walked in silence.

They arrived just in time to see Ginny practically yelling at Scorpius, and Madam Pomfrey rushing to assess the situation.

"I want you out of here immediately!"

"But he's my... Best friend! I _want_ to be here for him!" The boy argued.

"For Merlin's sake, the two of you! There are sick patients here! They need to rest!"

"Gin, what's going on?" Harry asked, rushing to her side and trying to put his arms around her, to calm her down.

She pushed him away. "I don't want... this boy around our son. He almost got Albus killed!"

"I did not! It wasn't my fault! I-"

"Okay, all of you, out." McGonagall commanded, to the healer's relief. "You clearly can't behave yourselves even for the sake of the boy, so nobody will stay here until you can keep yourselves under control."

"I'm not going anywhere." Ginny protested.

"In case you have forgotten, Mrs. Potter, this is still my school, so either you leave this room or you leave castle."

Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but Harry was quicker. "Come on, Gin. Let's go for a walk, Albus is safe in Madam Pomfrey's hands." He gently pushed her out the door.

"And you two, young man." McGonagall raised an eyebrow at the boy who was practically hiding on the other side of the bed. Scorpius made a defeated expression and dragged his feet out the room.

Much to their surprise, they found out the Headmistress had banned all three of them of the Hospital Wing until Albus was awake and talking, and Ginny was forced to return to the room arranged for them when they returned from their walk. As they strode through the school grounds, Harry shared with her the conversation he had earlier, and expectedly, it didn't go down well with the redhead, who protested loudly and claimed her son's innocence repeatedly.

Though Scorpius knew he wasn't allowed in, he also knew he wouldn't give up without putting up a good fight, so waited around the corner for the rest of the day, looking for the best moment to try and sneak in. It was getting very late, his stomach was raging his dissatisfaction for not being fed and his eyes were beginning to give in when he decided he'd waited long enough. Tiptoeing to the door, he opened it as carefully and slowly as he could, just enough for him to squeeze in, and immediately closed it behind himself.

Madam Pomfrey was always entertained by the way students never even considered the possibility of the room being spell-protected, configured to alert her every time someone got in or out. So she knew instantly when Scorpius sneaked in, and though she knew McGonagall herself had forbidden it, she had a romantic soul and decided there was no harm in letting the boy spend the night on his boyfriend's bedside. She was still smiling at the thought when she retired to her chambers that night.

Scorpius spent the whole night in the armchair by Albus's side, but when morning came, there was still no sign the boy would wake up. The school healer assured him that the brunet was just sleeping and that everything indicated he would fully recover in no time, but when he didn't wake up all day, everybody grew apprehensive. The blond had been sent away short before lunchtime, with orders not to return until he at least had had dinner (of course, unless Albus had woken), and in his impatience, he almost got caught by Ginny, who began a fruitless argument with Madam Pomfrey to remain by her son's side that night.

He waited until everything was perfectly quiet before walking out of his uncomfortable hideaway and sneak into the Hospital Wing. The blond boy walked as quietly as he could to Albus's bed, and stood beside him for a couple of minutes, gently caressing his face and moving locks of hair away from his eyes. He smiled at himself as he watched the boy's steady breathing, suddenly knowing he would be alright. After a long yawn poorly repressed, he used magic to move an armchair closer to the bed without making too much noise, and fell asleep within minutes.

"Scorp?" Albus called in a whisper, opening his eyes.

He smiled when he saw the blond leaning on his bed, his head resting on his hands, which were holding one of the brunet's. Night had fallen, and the Hospital Wing was completely silent. Albus took his free hand to the blond's head and played gently with his hair, inadvertently waking him up.

"Al?" He called, still a little confused, not entirely awake yet. He lifted his head, looking at the boy in the bed and being greeted with a smile. "Al!" He repeated with a smile, standing up and putting his arms around the brunet. "Are you okay? Does anything hurt? Do you want me to get Madam-" Albus silenced him with a long kiss, and once they parted, he smiled, slightly embarrassed. "What if someone saw us?" The blond whispered quietly, sitting back on the armchair by the bed.

"I..." He hesitated for a moment before smiling and raising one hand to caress Scorpius's cheek "I'm going to tell my parents, Scorp. And Lily and the rest of my cousins. Like I should've from the start."

"Are you sure? You just almost died, you need your family right now. And I don't think they're too fond of me."

"I'm sure, Scorp. I don't want to keep giving people leverage to try to blackmail me with, and keep causing all this trouble. I kept it a secret because it was very private, not because I'm ashamed of us."

"I know, Al." He smiled, leaning in for another kiss. "Do you want me to be here when you tell?" He offered with a smile.

"Thanks, Scorp. But I'm sure mom will probably say some nasty things about you, and I don't want you around to hear her."

"I don't mind it, Al. Not if you need support."

It was Albus's turn to smile and pull him in for a kiss. "Thank you. But I'm sure I'll be fine."

"What if your mom - or both of them - don't... approve?"

"They won't have a choice." He replied with a smile. "Now get your ass over here. I'm tired and I need to sleep well."

Scorpius giggled, complying. He lied down with one arm around the brunet's shoulder, and the boy snuggled against the blond's chest, one arm across him.

"How long I was out for?" He asked, suppressing a yawn.

"Just over a day, actually."

"Really? All that?"

"Yeah. Madam Pomfrey said you'd wake up yesterday, so everybody was getting really worried. But you're fine now, right?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "Wait. So how did the game go?" He looked up, green eyes meeting silver ones.

Scorpius shook his head lightly. "The game was cancelled, after what happened."

"Oh." He said, surprised.

"Don't worry about that now, Al. Just rest, okay?" The blond asked with a smile, and the other boy nodded. Pulling the brunet up with a gentle touch to his chin, he kissed him gently before tightening the grip on him slightly. "Good night, Al."

" 'Night, Scorp."

If it were just up to the two boys, they easily would've slept in that morning, but they were, after all, still in the Hospital Wing, and Madam Pomfrey had a different idea.

"Mr. Malfoy! What on Merlin's name are you doing? Mr. Potter has just been through a very traumatic event! He needs to rest!" She said alarmed when she reached their bed during her morning rounds, waking both of them. They shared a complicity-filled look before the blond jumped out of the bed. "I'm glad to see you're awake, Mr. Potter. How are you feeling?"

"Great." He replied with an honest smile.

"Very well, then." She replied while she cast a diagnostic spell on him. "I suppose you can have visitors now." She concluded, folding the parchment where the results of the spell had been recorded and putting it away in a pocket. "Your parents will be anxious to see you."

"They're here?" Albus asked surprised.

"You nearly _died_, boy, of course they're here!" She replied, exasperated, shaking her head and walking away.

The boys smiled at each other. "I'll go now, then. Will you be okay?"

"Don't worry, Scorp." He replied, pulling the boy for a light kiss.

"I'll come back later, I promise."

"I know." He smiled again, watching the boy walk away.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

Just a few minutes after Scorpius left, he saw his parents come in, his mother running his way and throwing her arms around him, almost suffocating him with her desperate embrace.

"Ma-mom, I'm, I'm fine, mom, I can't- I can't breathe like this." He complained, and she let go of him, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Mom, it's okay, I'm fine."

"I know, sweetie. I know. I was just worried." She replied, smiling and taking a step back to let Harry approach.

"Hey, Al. How are you?" He asked, messing with the boy's hair.

"I'm good, dad." He smiled. Only when the man walked away did the boy notice the two other people who'd come in with his parents. "Professor Snape. Headmistress." He said with a nod.

"I know it's still very early, son, but I need you to tell us what happened." McGonagall asked with a smile.

"Uh... Actually, I don't remember that much. I offered to help Scorp practice before the game, and took his broom while he looked for another one. Then as soon as I was in the air, the broom went out of control and kept going higher up, until it threw me off." He shrugged slightly. "That's all I know. I'm sorry if it doesn't help."

"It does, don't worry." The Headmistress smiled again. "Well, I have a lot to take care of, then. I believe you do too, Severus?" She looked at the man, who nodded. "Walk me to my office, then?"

"Of course, Minerva." He nodded briefly and they walked out.

"Did you see James there, honey?" Ginny asked.

"No, why? What does he have to do with any of it?"

"They're saying he did this." She said, disbelieving.

"He _confessed_, Gin." Harry insisted.

"Really?" He raised his eyebrow.

"I'm sure he meant no harm, then." She insisted.

"I don't know, mom. He's been picking on Scorp forever now, and it's been getting worse lately."

"Albus, you can't actually believe your own brother would... do something like that to you."

The boy shook his head. "Not to me. But it was Scorp's broom, and I have no doubt he'd try something like that on him."

"No, James would never-"

"Enough of that, okay, Gin? Believe what you want, but we know what happened, so stop arguing with Albus already. He needs to rest." Harry intervened.

She looked unsurely at him for a moment before taking a seat beside her son. Harry walked to the closest window and let his eyes run through the grounds, memories coming back and making him smile softly.

Albus looked from one parent to the other, breathing deeply, trying to gather some courage. "Mom? Dad?" He called. "I... have something to tell you."

"What is it, honey?" Ginny asked with a smile, and Harry turned away from the window and walked towards them.

"I... I know why James has been acting the way he has."

"And why is that?"

"It's because I... I'm seeing someone." He said, avoiding their eyes, and consequently missing Harry's half-smile.

"Who's the lucky girl?" The redhead's smile grew.

"It's, hm... Not a girl, mom. It's a boy. It's... Scorpius."

Ginny frowned. "I'm sorry, I think I didn't understand what you just said."

"He said he's dating Scorpius, Gin." Harry repeated, annoyed at her reaction. Not that he expected things to be any different. Then he turned to the boy. "I'm glad you two worked things out, son." He smiled.

"You knew?" They both asked at the same time, but with very different inflexions in their voices.

Harry scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed, ignoring his wife. "I was pretty sure there was something going on, I just couldn't pin down exactly what it was. And I thought you'd rather not have me meddling in, so I decided to just wait until you were ready to say something." He explained.

"So... you're not mad at me or anything?" He asked hesitant, but hopeful.

"Of course not, Al! I think it's great that you found someone you like. And more than that, that you worked things out with him, and you're happy again." He played with his son's hair, and the boy smiled at him. "I was worried before, because you were looking so sad. But now... Well, it's more than obvious you're happy, when you talk about him, and that's all I could wish for."

"Thanks, dad." He said honestly. They held their gaze for as long as they could, fearing to face the woman. "Mom?" Albus asked slowly.

"I don't know who I'm angrier at right now." She replied, turning her back. "I can't believe you never said anything, Harry. And you, Albus... What have I done wrong? You not only made that boy your best friend, but now you're..." She shook her head, incapable of finding words to describe her feelings. "I'm going for a walk." She whispered before walking out of the room.

The two remained in an uncomfortable silence as Ginny left. "Do you think she'll ever accept it?" Albus asked a few minutes after she'd gone.

"I'm sure she will, Al." Harry replied with a smile. "I'm sure she just needs some time to work it out. She never saw it coming."

"When did you know, dad?" He asked, curious but at the same time, afraid of the answer. He wasn't too sure it was something he wanted to discuss with his father, or anyone for that matter.

"When we went shopping at Diagon Alley and met Scorpius and his father. Back in August."

He raised his eyebrows, surprised. "Not even I knew it, back then." He muttered, and Harry smiled at him.

"So, where's Scorpius? I need to question if his intentions with you are pure and-"

"Dad!" He exclaimed, embarrassed, making Harry laugh. "Don't you dare, okay?"

"Don't worry, Al." He said at last. "But where is he, really? I thought, now that you're together, he'd want to spend all the time with you. Especially after all that happened."

"He'll be back later." He smiled.

"Well, I'll stick around until he does, then. It's pretty boring to stay alone in here, when you're not even sick."

As much as Harry tried, the two couldn't find much to talk about, and ended up remaining in silence for most of the half-hour it took Scorpius to show up. As a responsible boyfriend, the blond had brought Albus all the books he'd need to finish his homework for the following week, making Harry laugh as he remembered his own student days with Hermione around. Harry tried to chat a little with Scorpius - after all, he had to get to know his future son-in-law at least a little bit -, but soon realized he was too rusty to sustain conversations with teenagers, and excused himself to go looking for Ginny.

He found the woman walking by the lake, her face as red as her hair and her cheeks marked by the tears she'd been shedding. Part of him just wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her everything would be okay, but he knew they'd left that long behind them. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets and watched her as he slowly walked her way, trying to figure out what he could possibly say to make her see that Albus being happy was all that mattered.

"Gin?" He called, still a little far away, so he wouldn't startle her too much.

"If you're here to tell me I just have to accept it, Harry, then you can go away." She replied, her voice choked with sobs.

"I don't know what else to tell you, then." He said honestly. "I know you don't like Scorpius. You never did. But he's the one your son has chosen, Ginny. And I would've thought that Albus being happy would easily be more important to you than any prejudices you might have."

"Can't you see what's happening here, Harry? That... that boy is corrupting our son. Albus was a sweet boy until he came to Hogwarts. Then he became defiant, started misbehaving and now... Now he's..." She made a face, trying to push away the images forming in her mind. "He's _doing things_ with other boys, things he shouldn't do, things he shouldn't even know about!"

"Not other boys, Gin." He was feeling surprisingly calm and composed. "One. Scorpius. The one he's in love with. Why can't you be as excited about that as you were when you thought it was a girl? What's the big difference?"

"What's the- How can you just accept it?" She asked, outraged.

"You never seemed to have a problem with it before."

"Other people's lives are none of my business, Harry. If they want to... Do things with other people, it's their choice. But my son-"

"Is an independent person as well, Gin. I know it's hard, but you have to accept he's his own person, he's not you, and you can't control him like that. It's as much his choice as it's anybody else's, and you have as much right to interfere as you would were he a stranger."

"No, Harry, clearly you don't understand. If other people choose it, fine. But my son never would. It's evident it's all Malfoy's plan, he's somehow manipulating my Albus, maybe a spell, or a potion, or forcing him somehow-"

"Is it really so hard for you to accept your son that you need to imagine illogical things?" He asked, tired, running one hand through his eternally messy hair. "Albus is extremely intelligent. It would be nearly impossible for another kid his age to trick him into drinking any potion or putting him under any spell. Not to mention Madam Pomfrey would've easily identified either, if it were the case, and she hasn't. And I don't know if you noticed, Scorpius wasn't there when Albus decided to tell us. Our son was alone, and he _chose_ to tell us."

"No, I'm sure that little weasel has him confused or something. Albus wouldn't-"

"Has it ever occurred to you he chose to tell us because he _trusts _us? Because he loves and cares about us enough not to want to keep secrets from us, knowing it might not be what we expected from him? I thought it was important for you to have your children's trust. But I'm sure now Albus regrets it deeply, because you've made it more than clear you don't love him enough to accept him for who he is."

Ginny opened and closed her mouth a few times, unable to find the right words.

Harry sighed. "I'm going back in. If you want to talk, I'm here for you, Gin. But if you're just going to make stupid and unfounded accusations, or complain about Scorpius, then don't bother." He said before turning around. Even after Albus nearly died, she still couldn't put things in perspective, realize what really mattered. He feared to imagine what would take for her to see the big picture.

He returned in silence to the castle, and decided to check on his son. He peeked from the door and saw the boys with their books opened over the bed, talking and laughing, and decided he didn't want to interrupt them. He was still smiling as he made his way to his assigned room, to freshen up before lunch.

The first thing Ginny realized as she walked back into the castle was that she still hadn't seen James, and considering that, by now, he would've probably already been assigned his punishment - unfair, she thought, as he was most certainly innocent -, that would probably be a good moment to do that.

She wasn't too sure where to find the boy, but one of the ghosts let her know he was punching some dusty desks on the third floor, and it wasn't too hard for her to find him after all. She watched the boy from the door for a few minutes, after casting a silencing spell on the room, as his outburst could be heard all across the hall. There were things flying everywhere, blood on the boy's knuckles and staining bits of the wall and the desks he'd punched, but he didn't even seem aware of it, and the occasional cry of anger that had scared the ghosts away.

"It's enough, James." She said softly, capturing his attention.

"Mom!" He said surprised, standing in the middle of the room.

"I think it's enough, love, don't you?" She asked with a weak smiled, and James looked around before shrugging his shoulders, slightly embarrassed. Ginny walked his way slowly, grabbing two chairs on the way and offering him one of them. "They've told me what happened, but I want to hear it from you." She asked, grabbing one of his hands and waving her wand over it.

"I-it was an accident, mom." He said almost desperately. "I didn't mean to hurt Albus, they know it, but they still kicked me out of the team and are threatening to expel me!"

"Your dad told me. I'll try to talk to McGonagall, but I'm afraid I'll get nowhere." She replied, working on his other hand.

"And dad? Can't he do anything about it?"

Ginny hesitated for a moment. "Your dad... Thinks they're doing the right thing." Her anger was evident on her tone. "He believes you tried to hurt Malfoy, and deserve your punishment."

"What?" He asked, disbelieving. "He can't really-"

Ginny nodded. "I know it's tough. But I know it's not your fault, right, Jamie?"

"Of course not, mom!" He assured her. "I didn't mean to _hurt_ Malfoy, just to... embarrass him a little. And he wasn't supposed to use his broom before the game anyway, so all that should've happened was that he'd have... some trouble controlling it and staying in the air in front of the whole school." He said with a half-smile, shared by Ginny. "How were I supposed to know he'd practice that day? Or worse, that he'd drag Albus with him?"

"I knew you meant no harm, love." She replied softly, putting her arms gently around him. "It was just a prank gone wrong. I'm sure nobody would've gotten hurt, had things gone according to plan."

"Can't you tell them that, mom? What am I going to do here for a whole year, if all I can do is study? What am I going to be without Quidditch?" He asked, frustrated.

"I'll try, Jamie. But with your dad on their side, I don't think it'll do much good." She smiled sadly at him, letting him go. "Perhaps if you work things out with your brother? Maybe if he can see you meant no harm, he could talk to McGonagall too. Nobody better than the victim to interject in your favor."

"I'll try, mom." He smiled at her.

"Come on, now. Let's go get something to eat, shall we? I'll bet you're starving."

"I'll just go get changed, then. I'll see you in the Great Hall?"

"Alright, love. Just try not to destroy any more of the school property - or yourself - on the way." She replied smiling, as they walked out of the room, each going their own way.

James had honestly planned to go straight to the Great Hall once he left the Gryffindor Tower, but his mother's suggestion was stuck in his head and he decided to make a quick stop at the Hospital Wing first. It would score him good points to visit his little brother there, and he may just be able to convince him it wasn't his fault. And then, hopefully, he'd be able to turn his punishment around.

Albus and Scorpius were almost done with their Transfiguration essay when Madam Pomfrey appeared from her room, and they kept glancing at her as she checked on the other patients before heading their way. They knew she would ask the blond to leave, and neither felt like being alone.

"Okay, Mr. Malfoy, off you go." She said as she waved her wand over Albus, nodding satisfied as the results were recorded on the parchment floating beside the bed.

"Can't I stay a little longer, please?" The blond asked with a pleading smile, making her roll her eyes.

"You know very well that Mr. Potter needs to rest, and it's almost lunch time, so you both need to eat. You can return later." She said strictly.

"Can't I have lunch here with Al? I promise-"

"No, Mr. Malfoy! And that's not open for discussion." Her tone was conclusive, and Scorpius let out a small sigh before kissing Albus's lips gently.

"I'll come back later." He assured, and the brunet nodded.

"Mr. Malfoy?" The healer called as he made his way to the door, and he turned around with a hopeful smile. "If Mr. Potter's condition remains stable during the afternoon, I'll release him in time for dinner." She said, smiling as the boy's smile grew, before turning back to her patient. "Now off you go, Mr. Malfoy." She repeated without taking her eyes off the parchment on her hands.

"Thanks, Madam Pomfrey!" He said cheerfully.

Scorpius walked out of the Hospital Wing with a satisfied smile on his face, distracted. One turn later, he ran into probably the last person he expected to see: James. And the boy didn't seem thrilled to meet him either.

The blond tried to keep his eyes down and pass as far from the other boy as he could, to avoid possible confrontations, but he was suddenly shoved into the nearest wall, losing his breath completely with the impact. As he struggled to breathe again, the brunet held him pressed against the stone, holding his robes with one hand and pressing his throat with his forearm. He looked up, scared, fumbling his clothes in search of his wand.

"See what you've done?" James said in a low and very threatening voice. "You almost go my brother killed."

"No, James, you almost did." He replied, his voice a little hacked from his unstable breathing.

"No, Malfoy, _you_ almost did. You stay away from him, you hear me? If you really like him as much as you say, you stay away from my brother before you get him killed." He hissed, pushing the boy against the wall once more before letting him go, marching towards the other corridor.

Scorpius just stood there, leaning forward with his hands on his knees, trying to steady his breathing. He was angry at the older Potter boy, but, more than that, he couldn't help seeing some truth in his words. If he'd never befriended Albus in the first place, the brunet wouldn't have had any of the many problems he'd survived in the past four years. And he knew that, the next time, they might not be so lucky.

James walked slowly into the Hospital Wing, his head slightly dropped, without looking around. He knew Albus was watching him from his bed, and he sat on the armchair beside him without a word. The younger boy studied his brother in silence for long minutes, waiting for him to say something.

"So, how are you?" He asked, awkwardly shy.

"Fine, not thanks to you." Albus replied, trying not to sound too angry.

"Look, Al, I didn't-"

"Mean it." He interrupted his brother, who finally looked at him. "I know that, James. The prank was aimed at Scorp."

"It wasn't supposed to be anything dangerous, okay?" He quickly shifted into defensive mode, sounding more like himself. "He was just going to make a fool of himself, and he wasn't supposed to use the broom until the game, when there'd be plenty of professors around in case things got a little out of hand."

"A little? _A little_, James? If Professor Snape hadn't seen me, and done whatever the hell he did to get there so fast, I would've DIED!" He said louder than he intended, the Weasley in his blood taking the best of him. While he took deep breaths to calm himself, the older boy looked around for signs of Madam Pomfrey. If she heard them, he'd be immediately kicked out of there.

"I said I'm sorry, Al. I didn't realize the spell was so powerful. It was just supposed to-"

"Stop making excuses, James." He said firmly.

"You know what? Fine." He said, getting up, slightly flustered. "I came here to apologize to you and explain my side of things, but clearly you're not willing to even give me a chance. So I'm sorry I disturbed you, and I hope you're better soon. Have a nice day." He turned around and took some angry steps towards the door.

Albus sighed and called him. "Come back, James."

"What for? I don't need you telling me how I screwed everything up." He stopped walking, but didn't turn around.

"Sit down here and talk to me like an adult. I think we're both old enough to stop quarreling like this, don't you?"

The older boy stood there for long moments, his back still to his brother, pondering his options. "Fine." He said eventually, returning to his seat. "What you want to talk about?"

"Why do you hate Scorp so much? Even before you met him, you already hated him."

"Well, for starters, he's a Malfoy."

"You know, nothing you, or Fred, or uncle Ron or anybody said about them is true. Not anymore, at least. I've been to his house, met both of his parents, and they were always very nice to me. And I know Scorp, he would never hurt anyone."

"He... Corrupted you, Al. Took you to their side."

"It's not true, Jamie. Believe it or not, I'm perfectly capable of making up my own mind. Actually, I've always been better at that than you."

"He took you away from me. From all of us. We were supposed to stick together, remember? All the things we'd do once we were here, and how we'd play together and-"

"No, James, that was always what _you_ thought. You never took _me_into consideration, and you never even noticed that."

"What are you talking about?"

"I never wanted to do any of that. Any of your sneaking out, pulling pranks, getting in trouble. I don't even like Quidditch, but you never even bothered asking me about that. You assumed I was just like you. And I'm not, James. I'm very different, and you can't accept that. But Scorpius could. Right off the bat, he accepted me for who I am, and never tried to make decisions for me or tell me what to do."

"He separated us, Al. He put you against me. It was because of him you went to that house, and that everything went wrong between us."

"No, Jamie. It's because of you. And while you don't see that, we won't be able to get along again."

"I disagree." He stated simply, crossing his arms over his chest and frowning, his eyes studying his own feet. That was his standard stubborn position, the one he normally assumed when he knew he was wrong but didn't want to admit it.

"If you say so." Albus replied, also looking away, out the window, vaguely trying to make out the outlines of people he could see in the distance.

"How long have you two... You know." James asked quietly after a while.

"January." He replied, looking back at his brother.

"And you really like him, don't you?"

It only took him a beat to reply. "Yes, I do. I'd even go as far as saying I love him, James." He said seriously, looking right into his brother's eyes.

"But you just started seeing each other!"

"Regardless of where our... _Romantic_relationship leads us, he's my best friend, and I'll always love him for that."

"Then couldn't you have just stuck with that? Why do you have to... You know... Do things with him?"

"It's no different from any of your girlfriends, Jamie."

"Of course it is! He's... A dude! Like you!"

"You never seemed to have problems with same-sex couples before."

"I don't! But... You're my baby brother! It's different!"

"How is it different?"

"It's... It's... I don't know, it just is!"

Albus giggled. "Just because I like boys, it doesn't mean you have to as well, Jamie."

"I'm not worried about that." He mumbled, making his brother laugh even more.

"You don't have to worry about me." He said seriously, after a few minutes. "Nobody is corrupting me, or leading me down the wrong path or anything. You won't lose me just because I have other friends, Jamie. You're my brother, and always will be. The one and only." He smiled sympathetically at the boy who was beginning to blush.

The older Potter boy shook his head and cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the emotional lump created there. "So, we're good, then?"

"Try to kill Scorp again and I'll disown you." He threatened, but was smiling.

"Got it." He nodded.

They remained in comfortable silence for a few minutes. "James... Why didn't you tell mom and dad? I mean, you said you would if I didn't break up with Scorp."

"I figured you had your reasons to want to keep it a secret." He said with a light shrug. Albus raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Okay, fine. Frankie told me not to."

"Frankie?

"Yeah. I thought I'd give you some time to reconsider while I pulled pranks on Malfoy-" The younger boy frowned at his brother, who looked away before continuing. "And he came to talk to me."

"I thought you two weren't talking anymore."

"So did I." James smiled. "Why did you tell him and not me?"

"Tell him what?"

"About... You know... You and Malfoy."

Albus raised his eyebrows, surprised. "I didn't."

"But... he knew! I mean, _he _came to _me_, because he figured I was picking on Malfoy because of it."

He smiled softly. "If he knew, he figured it out for himself." He assured, and James shrugged.

"Well, he came to talk to me and said that if I told, you'd never forgive me. And we were in bad enough a shape as it was, right?"

They smiled at each other.

"Thank you. It means a lot."

"It was the least I could do, I suppose."

"What are you still doing here, Mr. Potter?" They heard Madam Pomfrey ask as she entered the room and walked their way. "I saw you on my way out, and clearly said just a few minutes! The patient can't be disturbed! He needs to rest!"

"I'm fine, Madam Pomfrey, really." Albus smiled at her.

"Nonsense. Now, Mr. Potter, out!" She told James, who made a face at his brother, making him chuckle, before walking out. "And you, Mr. Potter... No excuses. You've just been through a very traumatic event, and I won't have anyone disturbing you!"

Albus just smiled at the old healer, letting her rerun a few spells on him and minister a couple of potions. Maybe it took him a near-death experience, but finally it seemed like things were improving with his brother.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty One**

Scorpius headed straight to the Great Hall after his encounter with James, but his appetite was all gone and he spent a long time just playing with the food on his plate. He hated to admit it, but maybe the older Potter was right after all. They say love is all you need, but if you really love someone, you know when to pull away, when you're causing more harm than good. It was far more important to see Albus happy and _safe_ than them being together. And clearly Albus wasn't safe with him.

When he left the boy, he had every last intention of returning, but instead he found himself sitting by the lake all afternoon, debating with himself what to do next. And one thought wouldn't leave his mind: it should've been him on that broom. And because it wasn't, he nearly killed the most important person in his life.

Albus was excited to tell his boyfriend about the progress he'd finally achieved with James, and discuss with him how he should approach Lily and his other cousins, but the boy never showed up. As promised, he was discharged for dinner, but he wasn't nearly as happy about that as he should've been.

Before heading to the Great Hall, he walked his parents to the guest fireplace and bid them goodbye - his mom was still angry at him, and barely gave him any attention -, before joining the other students. It seemed everybody in school already knew what had happened - in great detail, as he'd find out from the bits of gossip he'd overhear -, and his roommates were very glad to see him well, but there was no sign of the only person he actually wanted to see.

He meant to go straight to the dorm once he was done eating, but everybody in his family - plus Frankie and Gabby - came to check on him, and he was held up for nearly an hour. By the time he headed down to the dungeons, he was feeling perfectly exhausted from all the social interaction.

After a quick look around the Common Room, he headed to his room and found Scorpius's bed with its curtains pulled. He smiled at himself, naughty thoughts running through his head, and quietly climbed on the bed, to find the blond lying on one side, seemingly asleep.

"Scorp?" He called in a whisper, crawling up. "I was waiting for you this afternoon." He teased, slowly kissing his way from the boy's cheek to his mouth. "There's so much I want to talk to you-"

Before he had the chance to finish what he was saying, Scorpius took his lips with his own, invading his mouth without asking for permission and pulling the boy as close as he could, one hand on his nape and the other on his lower back. Albus was surprised by the attack and responded the best he could, a little confused with the blond's desperation. The kiss was only broken for a shift in position, and Scorpius placed himself on top of the other boy, devouring him and branding every bit of exposed skin he could find, holding the boy so tight he was having some difficulty breathing.

"Scorp, Scorp, stop, wait, just - just stop for a moment." He finally managed to ask, pushing the boy away gently. "What happened, Scorp?" He asked, searching for the boy's eyes.

"Nothing." He mumbled, avoiding the green gems.

Albus sighed, pulling his boyfriend to his chest and holding him gently. "Talk to me." He asked. "Everything was fine earlier, what went wrong?"

"I love you, Al." He whispered.

The brunet was surprised, but didn't hesitate to reply. "I love you too, Scorp."

"I'll always love you, no matter what, okay?"

"Hey, what happened?" He asked, worried, alarms immediately going off in his head.

The blond lifted himself up a little, to look into Albus's eyes before smiling and kissing him softly. "Good night, Al." He whispered, snuggling against the brunet's chest again.

But Scorpius didn't sleep that night, the weight of his decisions keeping him from resting. At some point, he broke down in tears and wet most of the brunet's robes, holding him tightly and glad the boy never woke up to see him in such state. All he wanted was to stay there forever, but eventually morning came and he knew the time had come.

He kissed Albus's lips as gently as he could, whispering an apology, before carefully levitating the boy to his bed and casting a spell on his own that would stop the brunet from getting in. He then got changed and headed to the Great Hall; an early breakfast would help him avoid Albus for longer. As soon as he could, he made his way to the classroom, and asked to pair up with the first Slytherin that walked in, so that when the brunet arrived, the seat beside him was already taken.

It was harder than he thought it would be to avoid the green eyes that grew hurt as the day went by, but he kept reminding himself why he was doing that to him, to them, and persevered. During the week, it wasn't too hard to avoid Albus, but he knew it would be much more complicated during the weekend, as he couldn't spend two days closed in his bed. Or could he?

-/-/-/-

Albus was surprised to wake up on his own bed Monday morning, as the memories of the previous night began returning to him. As he stretched and realized he'd slept in his school uniform, he figured the blond's reaction had been because he nearly died, and smiled at himself, feeling incredibly lucky to have such a caring boyfriend.

As he got out of bed, he noticed the curtains pulled on the next bed, and smiled again, walking towards it to wake Scorpius up and make sure he wasn't late for class. He'd barely touched the thick, green fabric when he felt a small shock go through his fingers. Thinking it'd been static electricity or something like it, he shook his head and tried again, the shock he received this time making him jump back.

"Scorp?" He called loudly. "Scorp?" He repeated, still getting no answer.

He shrugged and made a mental note to mention the shocks to the boy later as he made his way to the Great Hall, his stomach raging. But he didn't see the blond until he arrived in their classroom, and then it was very clear he was being ignored. At first he was confused, and then angry and hurt at the boy's incapacity to just talk to him and work out his issues. He couldn't possibly be pushing away to protect him, could he? He couldn't be feeling guilty, after all, James had confessed to it and-

He shook his head to clear his mind as the professor walked in, trying to focus on the class. But as the week progressed, it became more and more obvious that, for whatever reason, Scorpius was avoiding him and, more than that, trying to sever all ties between them. More than once he tried to talk to the blond, but the boy was better at slipping away than he remembered, and it was getting him very angry.

"Scorpius!" He called loudly and authoritatively, that Saturday afternoon, feeling a little silly to be yelling at closed curtains. But at least he knew the boy was in there; he'd made sure of it. "Get out of there right now and talk to me!" He waited nearly a full minute for a reply, but none came. "Stop being a jerk and tell me what the hell is going on!" He demanded, still getting nowhere. "Please, Scorp." He changed his strategy. "Just talk to me. Do you not want to be with me anymore, is that it?" He offered, feeling his chest hurt at the mere idea. "Because... because if that's what you want... You just have to tell me, okay? Just say it, and I'll accept it. But please be my friend, Scorp. I need you in my life whichever way I can have you." He pleaded, and waited anxiously for any kind of reaction. "Damn you, Scorpius!" He cried angrily when none came. "Just talk to me, you idiot!"

In his frustration, he reached out for the curtains once more, decided to get in, and was thrown a couple of feet away, hitting his head on his own bed and letting out a cry of pain. Hearing the sequence of sounds, the blond's heart jumped on his chest and his worry beat his self-control, forcing him out of his cocoon.

"Are you okay?" He asked, holding the boy by the arm and helping him stand up.

"Of course not." He replied annoyed. "What the hell is going on with you?"

"It's none of your business, Albus." He turned his back at the boy to better hide his feelings, hoping he didn't hurt the brunet but knowing it would be a fairly good way to push him away.

"Don't you give me that attitude." He complained in the same tone, grabbing the blond by the arm and forcing him to turn back. "Tell me what's happening."

"Nothing, Albus." He tried to pull his arm away, unsuccessfully.

"I know it's hard for you, Scorp." He said softly with a half-smile. "I know you're not one to talk things through. But this doesn't work either, you know."

"I... Can't." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Al, but it's for the best." He said quietly, letting his head drop.

"What did James do this time?" His anger started resurfacing.

"Don't worry, he didn't _do_ anything."

"What did he threaten, then? What did he say?"

"He... Pointed something out. And for once, I think he's right. I'm a threat to you. You nearly died because of-"

"James." He completed, closing his hands into fists. "_He_ nearly killed me, Scorp. He's admitted to it, and he's the only one to blame here."

"No, Al. If I hadn't insisted-"

"It's not your fault!" He said loudly, shaking the blond by the shoulders, as if it would help him see things more clearly.

"Stop it, Albus!" He cried, equally as loud, taking the boy's hands off him. "It is too my fault! I've been nothing but trouble to you since we met, okay? So it's enough, Al. I'm through with it."

"You're breaking up with me, then?" He asked, hurt.

"Call it what you want." He replied, incapable of bringing himself to say the words.

They sustained the look for a moment before Albus ran off the room, leaving a heartbroken boy behind. The brunet was feeling so many different things at once he didn't even notice the tears that started rolling down his cheeks. He didn't know what to think, he just wanted to run until he stopped feeling, so he headed outside, bumping into Frankie as he exited the castle.

"Al? Is everything alright?" He asked worriedly, trying to see the boy's face, who insisted on keeping his eyes on the floor. "Al! You're crying! What happened?"

He put his arms around the boy, holding him close as he led him somewhere more private. For several minutes, Frankie did nothing but comfort the boy, waiting for his tears to cease and for him to calm down enough to talk. Albus was still breathing a little hard, but at last it seemed he'd stopped crying, and the blond led him to a nearby bench, making him sit down without ever letting go of him. The brunet passed his arms around the other boy, resting his head on Frankie's shoulder, and trying to organize his thoughts.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" He asked gently.

"S-Scorp. He... He broke up with me."

"I'm sorry, Al." He offered sympathetically.

The brunet sat up, agitated, his voice still a little shaky. "A-And... It's not even... It's not because he doesn't like me anymore or something, because if it was... But it's because he's an idiot! He's just... He's being stupid, and he won't hear what I have to say and..." He interrupted himself, frustrated.

"He feels guilty about what happened and he's trying to protect you." He smiled weakly, and the other boy nodded.

"Why can't he see it's not his fault? Even after James admitted-"

"Thing about his side of things for a moment, Al."

"What do you mean?" He asked with a sniff.

"What if it'd been the other way around? If instead of James trying to hurt Scorpius, it was Scorpius's dad trying to hurt you. And because of a... well, selfish request, because he knows you don't like Quidditch and asked you to practice with him just the same, and because of that he nearly died. Even if it wasn't your fault, you'd still feel guilty, wouldn't you?"

Albus frowned for a moment, considering the scenario. "I suppose, but..."

"It doesn't mean he's right, but you have to take it into consideration, Al."

"I guess." He sighed. "But he could've talked to me instead of just shutting me out, couldn't he?"

"You would never let him push away, would you?" He raised an eyebrow with a half-smile.

"Of course not! Because it's completely stupid-"

"He really cares about you, and in his head, he's doing what's best for you. Even if it hurts you. Because you can be sure it hurts him a lot more."

"Well, I think that's pretty stupid." He insisted, making Frankie giggle.

"And yelling at him won't work. So if you want to get him back, you better come up with a different plan."

"Why are you always so nice to me?" He asked, his lips curling up slightly for the first time, his face still red from the emotional outburst.

"You're my friend." He smiled back.

"Thanks. I always thought Scorp was the only one I could talk to, but I'm glad I was wrong. Especially when I have problems with him, and so I can't talk to him about it."

Frankie squeezed the boy's shoulders with one arm, smiling. Then he saw Albus bite his lip for a split second and kiss him softly, before he could move away.

"Don't, Al." He said quietly, gently pushing the brunet away. "You don't mean that, and it'll only end up hurting us all."

"I'm sorry." He whispered, looking away. "I don't even know why I did it, really..."

"You're hurt and you want some comfort." He replied simply. "But be careful not to end up hurting somebody, Al."

"I'm sorry." He repeated, embarrassed.

"Just talk to Scorpius. Listen what he has to say and explain how he's wrong, patiently, without yelling. You may have to try more than once, but it'll work, I promise. He likes you too much for it not to." Albus nodded.

They sat there for long minutes, Frankie giving time for the boy to absorb all that'd been said, and the brunet trying to put his thoughts back in order.

"Do you like anyone?" He asked suddenly, catching the blond off-guard.

"I'm sorry?"

"Do you... Like anyone? You know, like Scorp and me."

"I used to." He replied, his eyes lost somewhere ahead of him. "But not anymore." He looked back at Albus with a smile. "Nobody for me at the moment."

"What happened?" He insisted, appreciating the change of subject.

"Nothing. Nothing ever would, so I suppose that was the problem. I was always one-sided, so it's for the best it's over."

"I'm sorry." He offered with a light shrug, not knowing how to respond.

"Don't worry. I get to focus on myself now, which is a good thing, being so close to my O.W.L.s." He smiled.

"Right! It's this year, right?"

Frankie nodded. "And if there's anything I can say about it, it's that you'll have to study ten times as much as you have so far." He smiled and the brunet made a face before they both started laughing.

They talked for most of the afternoon, and Albus was feeling a lot better when they returned to the castle. He ended up playing a game of chess with an older boy in the Common Room, all the while imagining the conversation he'd have with Scorpius, the arguments the blond could use and how he could counter them.

He was on his way to the Great Hall for dinner when he ran into James, who, for probably the first time since he started school, smiled at him and approached to say hi.

"What's up, Al?"

But all he could think of was that, once again, James had tried to separate him from Scorpius, even after their talk in the Hospital Wing, and he felt his blood boiling in his veins.

"What did you say to Scorp?" He asked hostilely, hands closed into fists.

"What?" The older boy frowned, confused. "I haven't talked to Malfoy since... your accident."

"The day you came to talk to me. What did you tell him?"

James's face lit up as he remembered, realizing the blond was nowhere to be found. "Just the truth."

"What truth?"

"That it was his fault and that if he really liked you, he'd stay away, before he got you killed." He replied, angry. "I'm glad to see he's followed my advice." He smirked.

Before he had the chance to react, Albus had punched him and he fell on the floor, his nose starting to bleed.

"What the..." He began, standing up and getting ready to fight back, but two of his friends held him back, one by each arm.

"You can't, James." Jordan hissed. "You'll get expelled!"

"I thought we were good again, James. But clearly we're not, so just stay away from us before _you_ get us killed." Albus warned, walking away and leaving an extremely angry Potter behind.

He tried to talk to Scorpius all Sunday, knowing it would be easier to have some privacy that way, but he was unsuccessful. For the next week, he asked, demanded and pleaded, but couldn't convince the blond to even give him a chance.

He knew he had to be patient, but it had never been his virtue, and he finally lost it on Friday afternoon, as they walked back from their Herbology lesson. He grabbed the boy by the arm, discreetly casting a spell on him to keep him from struggling and getting them unwanted attention, and dragged him to an isolated courtyard. Scorpius seemed ready to kill him with his bare hands when the brunet finally released him.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked angrily, rubbing the place in his arm where the other boy had been holding him.

"You're going to talk to me, Scorp, and you're not leaving until we've worked things out."

"Yeah, try me." He challenged, walking away and being magically pulled back. When he turned around, Albus had his wand pointed at him.

"Don't force me to keep doing this, Scorp." He warned.

The blond sighed. "Fine. What do you want to talk about?" He asked, sitting on the nearest bench and leaving his bag beside him.

The brunet smiled. "I know you're trying to protect me, and I appreciate it, but you can stop now. All I want is to be with you."

"I'm not discussing that again, Albus." He stated firmly.

"Good. Then let's leave it behind us, okay?" He said tentatively, and the other boy rolled his eyes.

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Do you not want to be with me?"He asked seriously, looking into the silver eyes.

Scorpius hesitated. "That's not it." He said at last.

"Do you not like me anymore? Or are you uncomfortable around me or something?"

"It's nothing like that."

"You want us to be together, then?" He raised his eyebrows, knowing the only possible answer.

"What I want doesn't matter." He replied, shaking his head and looking away. "There are more important things to consider, Albus."

"Like what?"

Scorpius hesitated, biting his lower lip. He wanted to explain, but knew the brunet wouldn't understand. "Your safety." He finally said.

Albus smiled. "Then instead of leaving me alone, stand by my side to protect me."

"You don't get it, Al. As long as I'm not around, there's nothing you need protection from."

"Isn't it a bit selfish of you to think all my problems are your fault?" He smiled, but Scorpius didn't seem amused at all.

"You might think this is funny, but next time you might not be so lucky. I'd rather give you up now than..." The lump on his throat formed just from imagining the situation kept him from completing his thought.

"What about me, then?" He tried to sound firm, but his heart was already melting in his chest. "What about what _I_ want? How it hurts _me_? Don't I matter to you?" He knew he was being unfair, but couldn't help it. Just the thought of not getting Scorpius back hurt too much to stand it.

"Don't say that." He asked in a low voice. "You know very well you're the only thing that matters to me. It's because you matter so much that I'm doing this, Al."

"Then be with me, Scorp. I need you, I-"

"No, Al, you need me to stay away from you. But you can't see that, you can't understand it. And I'm not willing to try it your way until you actually get hurt. My decision is final." He said decisively, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I can't believe you can be that stubborn!" Albus cried loudly, frustrated. "Why can't you see it? I love you, you love me, and that's all there is to it!" He was panting slightly, watching the boy who was avoiding his gaze. "After what happened, James won't try anything anymore. Nor will anybody else." He continued, a lot calmer now. "And now my parents know, and I don't care who else does as long as I'm with you. We won't have to hide anymore."

"Just because he got kicked out of the team? And forbidden to go to Hogsmeade? Honestly, now it's even more likely that he'll try something. He's got nothing else to lose." He shook his head. "No, Al. I'm not taking any chances."

Albus sighed, wondering what else he could say to turn the boy's mind around. "After all we've been through, Scorp. My mom, James, months without talking to each other... Merlin, a near-death experience, do you really want to just throw it away?" He asked sadly, walking to the boy slowly.

"I..." The blond hesitated. "It's hurt too much, Al. I don't want to keep hurting and, most importantly, I don't want to keep hurting you." He said in a low voice, almost a whisper, staring at his own shows. He looked up as another pair of feet stopped in front of him, surprised with the proximity, and froze as Albus put one knee on each side of his legs, sitting on his lap and caressing his cheek.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." The brunet whispered. "I can't promise I won't do it again, but I'll be more careful. And the only way you're hurting me is by keeping us apart."

They were now so close their noses were touching, and after a moment during which Albus seemed to ask for permission to continue, he kissed Scorpius's lips softly, just letting skin touch skin for long moments before pulling away. When he did, the blond had tears in his eyes, which he gently wiped away, smiling.

"I can't do this, Al." He whispered, pushing the boy away and standing up. "I'm sorry, but I just can't do it." He said as he picked up his things and ran off without looking back.

Albus sighed, discouraged. He sat there until the sun had set, before dragging his feet to the Great Hall and pushing some food down, so distracted that Lynus and Thales gave up trying to talk to him after just a few minutes. All he could think was that he needed to get Scorpius back.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty Two**

During the following week, he watched Scorpius go about his things, their conversation proving unfruitful, and he was considering giving up Frankie's suggestion of being patient and trying to get it through Scorpius's head that they should be together by force. He had finally fallen asleep that Friday night - since they split up, he'd been having trouble sleeping, not getting more than two or three hours of rest per day -, when he felt his chest become heavy and started having some difficulty breathing, and woke up startled. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dark before he could see Scorpius holding him as tightly as he could.

He smiled. "Scorp?" He called, a little breathless, holding the boy's arms and making him loosen the grip.

"I can't do this, Al." He whispered, a tone of despair clear in his voice. "I'll deal with remorse later, but now I just need to be close to you."

Albus's smile grew as he gently caressed the blond head resting on his chest until the boy had calmed down and looked up with a tentative smile. "I love you, Scorp." He whispered.

"I love you too, Al." He replied before kissing him gently. "I'm so sorry. For everything. I'm never letting you go again, I promise." He assured, resting his head on the brunet's chest again.

"Me neither, Scorp. Me neither." He replied before falling back asleep.

With everything that happened, when they finally worked things out between them, they realized there wasn't too long to go before their final exams, and Scorpius almost drove them crazy trying to catch up.

With most of their time consumed by school, there wasn't much left for them to think about coming out, but Albus was decided not to keep delaying it and tell everybody that mattered before the summer holiday. The first two people they told were their roommates, one night they cornered them after dinner.

"Do you guys have a minute?" Albus asked with a smile, standing by the closed dorm door.

"Sure, what's up?" Lynus asked with a smile, putting away the set of Exploding Snap they were playing with.

"We... Have something to tell you." Scorpius said nervously.

"Oh-oh. It doesn't sound like good news." The boy joked, and Thales smiled.

"It's... it's no big deal, really, we just thought you should know." Albus looked at his boyfriend for assurance, gaining a smile and a nod in return. "Scorp and I, well... We're together."

"As in dating, together?" Thales asked with a slight frown, surprised.

"Yes. Al's my boyfriend now." Scorpius replied proudly.

"Oh. Okay." The boy shrugged.

"It doesn't mean we'll have to stand your noises all night, does it?" Lynus joked, and they blushed, Albus more than the blond.

"Don't worry, we can cast silencing spells." Scorpius replied, gaining a punch from the brunet and laughing at the faces the other two made as images of what they'd be doing behind closed curtains formed in their minds.

"But seriously, you don't care?" Albus asked after a couple of minutes.

"Why should we?" Lynus smiled, and he returned. "What I do care about is beating the two of you in a game of Exploding Snap."

"As if we'd lose to you!" Scorpius teased.

They spent the rest of the night playing and laughing, and Albus felt very relieved by the reactions he got. After all, two of the other four people who knew had rejected him completely for his relationship with Scorpius.

After that, they became less careful with their behavior both in the dorm and in the Common Room, where nobody seemed to care they were a couple. The next step was to break the news to the rest of the Weasley's at school, and Albus couldn't shake the feeling it wouldn't go down so smoothly.

He chose to start with Gabby - who wasn't technically a Weasley, but was as good as - and much like her brother, she didn't seem to care that they were two boys. He considered just gathering all the others together, so he'd only have to say it once, but he feared the reaction of some of them would interfere with the rest of his cousins to the worse. Instead, he started with the older ones and worked his way down, in quick conversations in the halls, so they wouldn't put up a scandal. Because he was sure at least Rose would, if she had the chance.

"I'm happy for you, Al." Roxie told him, ruffling his hair and smiling. "Have you told your parents yet?"

"Yeah. Dad's okay with it, but mom not so much." He replied, smiling.

"I'm sure she'll come around." She smiled before walking away with some of her friends, all of them too worried about their N.E.W.T.s to give him much attention. Not that he'd have it any other way.

"_Mais c'est bon, non?_" Louis replied, arching an eyebrow, his French accent still very clear even though it'd been five years he'd been attending Hogwarts. "You're happy, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am." He smiled. "I just wanted you to hear from me and not anybody else."

"Well, thank you, then. And if you need anything, I'm here for you, _oui_?"

"Yeah, Louis. Thanks."

"Now I better run. My friends and I still have a lot to review before our O.W.L.s." He smiled.

"Good luck with that!" He wished to the boy who was already walking away.

Next in line was Rose, and he wasn't sure whether to skip her and approach his sister first, but he had an opportunity to talk to the girl as they left their Care of Magical Creatures lesson, as for once she wasn't surrounded by the rest of the family. Just a quick look shared with Scorpius was enough for the boy to understand his intentions and give him some space, but not before giving a reassuring squeeze to his hand.

"Hey, Rose. Can we talk for a minute?" He asked shyly.

"Sure, Al. What's going on?" She replied with a smile.

"Hm, listen... I... Have something I want you to know."

"Okay..." She raised her eyebrows, suspicious.

"It's just... I'd rather you hear it from me than from anybody else. It's just... Scorp and I, we're together now. You know, like a couple." He said in a low voice. It still made him blush to say it out loud as much as it delighted him.

"You and... Malfoy?" She questioned, and he nodded. "Together?"

"Yeah, together."

"Is this some kind of joke?" She asked, slightly angry. Hadn't that boy put her cousin through enough? Now he was playing with his feelings like that, just to leave the boy heartbroken as she was sure it would happen?

"No, Rose, it's not a joke. It's a fact, whether you like it or not. And either way, you better accept it, because nothing you can do will change it." He said decisively, annoyed at her.

"Not even if I tell your parents?" She arched an eyebrow, triumphantly.

He smiled. "I already have."

Her jaw dropped opened, and then she swallowed hard, trying to recompose herself. "I knew that boy wasn't a good influence on you from the first day, Albus, but this is crossing the line. Even you have to see that-"

"Why, Rose? Because he's a Malfoy? Because he's a boy?"

"Doesn't either of those things bother you in the least?"

"No, they don't. I'm with someone I love, and that's all that matters to me."

She looked at him for a long moment, pondering whether or not to continue arguing, but they'd already reached the castle and the crowd passing by was growing rapidly, so instead she gave him a very unsatisfied look and walked away.

"Everything okay?" Scorpius asked, resting one hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's fine. Nothing I didn't expect." He smiled sadly. Though he knew it wouldn't be any different, he couldn't help but hope for it.

"Well, only two more to go now."

Albus nodded, putting one hand over Scorpius's. They walked the rest of the way to the dungeons in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

The days before they went home were passing fast, and all too soon they were already having their final exams, and anything other than studying and the questions on each test didn't have any space in their minds anymore. And though they both knew they would do well, they couldn't help some insecurity that always came with that time of the year.

It was only after their last exam was done that he had the chance to talk to the two Weasleys left. He knew it was a mere formality, as they hadn't been remotely secretive for quite some time, and once such an information fell into Rose's hands, it was a matter of hours - if not minutes - for the whole family to know. He found the two redheads comparing results one Thursday afternoon in one of the courtyards, and smiled as he watched how well they got along. After all he'd been through, any friendly moments he witnessed in his family were precious to him.

"Hey guys. What's up?" He asked with a smile, sitting beside them on the bench.

"We're good, Al, and you?" Hugo replied smiling.

"Good too. Listen-" He started but his sister interrupted him.

"You're here to tell us about you and Malfoy."

"Well, yeah, actually. That's... that's it."

"We know already." She replied, not sounding too friendly.

"Oh. Okay."

"Mom will kill you when she hears about it."

"Actually, she already knows, and I've lived so far." He smiled tentatively, but the girl didn't return.

"Are you sure you should be doing that, Al?" Hugo asked with a frown. "He's a Malfoy, and dad said-"

"Don't worry about what your dad said, Hugo. I can assure you none of it is true."

"Really?" He nodded. "Okay, then." He shrugged lightly.

"You don't have a problem with it, then?" He asked suspiciously.

"Well, no, I mean, Rose was making a fuss about it, but I figured, if you like him, it's fine, right?"

"Yeah." He replied proudly. "And you, Lily?"

"Me what?"

"What do you think about it?"

She shrugged. "I don't really like him, but he's never done anything to me, so I don't dislike him either. And you look better when he's around, so I guess it's alright." She half-smiled. "Besides, I'm sure mom and James will give you enough crap about it for all of us." She joked.

"Lily! Watch your mouth!" He reprimanded jokingly, and they all smiled. "Well, either way, thanks for that. It means a lot."

"It's okay." She replied, shrugging again, and they stayed in silence for long minutes.

"Well, I better get going, then." Albus said at last, getting up, and they smiled at each other. "See you guys around." He said as he entered the castle.

He had a faint smile lingering on his lips as he walked through the castle, back to the Common Room where Scorpius said he'd wait for him. The two sat there together for a long time that day, just cuddling by the fire - despite the heat that assaulted most of the castle, it was still very pleasant in the dungeons -, relaxing after stressful two weeks of exams.

The ride home was quiet, and as usual they shared a cabin with Lynus and Thales, who didn't seem to get tired of teasing them and making them - Albus especially - blush. Now they were getting older, it seemed easier to remain awake during the trip, but it also meant the journey felt longer, and they were all exhausted by the time they arrived in London. After a quick wave to the other two boys who almost instantly disappeared in the crowd, Albus and Scorpius kissed softly, no more than a prolonged peck, but enough to draw quite a few displeased looks from the adults around them. At least most of the people there didn't seem to care about it and, most importantly, they didn't, and after promising for the umpteenth time to meet soon - and they both knew soon meant the next day -, they went separate ways, each looking for one set of parents.

Harry and Ginny waited in the platform for their children, evidently uncomfortable to be around one another. After they returned from Hogwarts, they had a great argument, and they both decided they'd had enough. The same day the redhead packed her things and left for the Burrow, and they had only talked once in the month and a half between then and now, to decide what they'd do about the children. As things were already very turbulent especially between the two boys, they decided to try to be in familiar terms at least until they had a final decision about their relationship.

Lily was the first to reach them, and they both smiled and tried their best to act normally, which wasn't too hard as the girl seemed ready to talk for hours about all she'd been up to for the past few months. Then Albus found them, and greeted his mother politely, though it was very obvious she was still very upset about his situation, before hugging Harry and sitting on his suitcase to wait for James. The older boy took another ten minutes to appear, too busy socializing, and the discomfort created was only partially broken by Lily's babbling.

"James? Can I have a word with you?" Harry asked as they entered the house, and the boy groaned softly before nodding. "I'll be waiting in the study." The man said before heading for the room. Just a few minutes later, James knocked on the door and they sat together on the couch, each on one side.

"So, hm, what's up?" He said nervously, knowing it would be about his accident with Albus.

"I think you know most of what I'll say, but I have to say it anyway." He waited for the boy to nod before continuing. "What you did to Scorpius's broom was very irresponsible, even for your standards. Had Professor Snape not seen your brother, he would've most likely died from the fall."

"But dad, I didn't mean-" He began defending himself, almost by habit, as he was pretty sure it would make no difference.

"Regardless of how you expected things to turn out, you should've known something like this might've happened, James. You're an adult now, and it's more than time you take responsibility for your actions."

"I know, dad. And I will, I promise-"

"You know, I've heard this kind of talk too many times before to actually believe you, James." He said sadly, shaking his head slightly. "I won't compare what you are now to what I was when I was your age; times were different and we were forced to grow up very fast. But your immaturity is surprising, no matter the circumstances. And it's my responsibility as your father to ensure you're a responsible man before I let you out in the world."

"I know, dad. And I-"

"Which brings us to the rest of your punishment." He said gravely, and James's expression became a mix of surprise, rebellion and anger.

"No, dad, I-"

"I know that's what it feels like to you, James, but it hasn't been enough. I think it's the first time you're faced with consequences for your actions, and perhaps I should've done something sooner, but I haven't. Either way, I've arranged with your uncle George for you to work there during the summer."

"What? Dad, you can't be serious!"

"I'm dead serious. And you start tomorrow, so please be ready to go by seven-thirty. The shop opens at eight, and he's asked you to be there a little earlier."

"Seven-thirty? In the morning?" He repeated, incredulous. "You can't be serious, dad. It's my holiday! I-I'm supposed to wake up at noon and-"

"You're not a child anymore, James. And it's time you stop acting like one. So either you accept it and comply, or I'm afraid the consequences will be a lot more serious. If I don't make sure you understand responsibility now, the next time you won't just be expelled from school, but you'll also face criminal charges, and possibly end up arrested."

James opened his mouth to argue once, twice, three times, but couldn't find the right words. Being expelled from school didn't mean that much to him - especially now he couldn't pull pranks or play Quidditch -, but he had no desire to spend even a single day in prison. He feared even to imagine what that would be like.

"Fine." He grumbled. "At least I get to keep the pay, right?"

"Actually, there's no money involved. It's what they call... An unpaid internship. You're working to acquire professional experience, not to make money."

The boy's jaw dropped, and he took a few moments to recompose himself. "Do I have a choice?" He asked, evidently putting a lot of effort into controlling himself.

"No." Harry replied dryly.

James nodded, standing up. "Excuse me, then. I'll unpack my things and get started on my homework, or I won't finish before classes start again." He grunted, dragging his feet out of the room.

"I don't want my son working, Harry, especially if he's not getting anything for it." Ginny complained, standing at the door.

"He's getting plenty from it. Hopefully he'll learn something about real life, and think twice before putting someone's life in danger again."

They exchanged an angry look before the woman left. Harry sighed, tired, wondering where things had gone so wrong.

The rest of the day was a little tense in the house, with everybody keeping to themselves. When they got together for dinner, the only one talking was Lily, who tried to return things to normal the only way she knew - babbling. But it made no difference, and they all knew it, and soon they were each on their own again. For the first time in a long time, James went to bed early, but instead of falling asleep soon, he spent hours rolling from one side to the other, thinking about what the morning had in store for him.

James was angry at both his parents, one for putting him through that, and the other for not doing anything. But as he walked up to the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes that first day, he thought perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all. How could it, if he'd spend the day playing with things in store, "showing" costumers how they worked, and perhaps even meeting some interesting girls? With such thoughts in mind, he was smiling when he knocked on the closed door, and cheerfully greeted his uncle as he walked in.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" George asked as they walked to the back of the store.

"Yeah." He replied, letting his eyes wander through the shop, ideas popping in his head.

"Good, then. Let me explain what you'll do." He began, handing the boy an apron with the shop's logo. James looked doubtfully at the object, and only put it on after an encouraging nod from the redhead. "For now, you'll be in charge of cleaning the shop and keeping the shelves full. The cleaning things are over there, and you can find the products in the room through that door." He pointed to a door a little to his right, beside some shelves.

He shrugged. "Okay." It sounded easy enough, nothing a flick of his wand wouldn't-

"Oh, and no using magic in the shop."

"What?" He asked, astounded. "But I can! I'm legal-"

"Those are my rules, James. I don't want to be forced to take your wand away."

"I'm not-" He started protesting, but was interrupted before he could say anything.

"If you don't agree with that, you're welcome to leave." He said strictly.

The boy was surprised by his uncle's attitude. So far, all he'd known was a nice guy, always sad, but always nice to him, and from what he heard about him from the old days, as fun-loving as himself, always planning the next prank. He was confused for a moment, but coming back home having quit his job before he even started was scarier to him than doing physical work without magic.

"I got it." He replied quietly.

"And I don't want you disturbing the costumers, okay? I want you to be nice to them, but keep to yourself unless they come to you. For now, at least, all I need you to do is to understand how the shop works and perform the tasks you've been assigned to."

"Okay, uncle George." He nodded briefly, heading to the broom waiting in the back of the room.

Working for his uncle wasn't nearly as fun as he expected it. Before the week was over, he'd already begun hating all the children coming and going, and their incapability of keeping things clean and in order - all he had to do was sweep a part of the store for one of them to drop something in the exact same place. And it wasn't too hard to put a product back in place with others just like it instead of leaving it around was it? One time he got distracted with a product and its workings, and was told off right on the spot, feeling as embarrassed as he didn't remember ever being. By the time he returned home every day, his whole body was sore from the repetitive motions and from standing all day, his ears hurt from the constant loud noise of people talking and his head ached from all the stress. If he wasn't afraid of what the alternative might be, he would've quit his job on the same day he started.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty Three**

Since the first time Snape had summoned him to talk about Albus's change of behavior, Harry had found himself meeting with the man every week, sometimes for a couple of hours, sometimes for not longer than they took to have a cup of tea, but every Saturday he visited the Potions Master's office and spent some time with the man he had hated for so long.

At first, his son had been pretty much all they discussed - and, with no progress in his situation, the conversations Harry was just beginning to enjoy had threatened to see its end soon. But then they started talking about other issues: the latest headline of the Daily Prophet, how things had changed since the war, Harry's personal problems. The brunet didn't quite understand why, but Snape would let him talk for as long as he needed, and would just listen in silence, interjecting occasionally with a question or a comment, but never insinuating he might be bored or annoyed by it, or that he wanted Harry to leave.

It was true Snape never really shared anything with him, but he was very glad to have found someone he could talk to freely, without worrying about the repercussions it could have in his family life. After all, if he even as little as mentioned he was having problems with Ginny to either Ron or Hermione, the redhead woman would know in no time. And he had plenty of doubts, complaints and insecurities about where that relationship was heading.

Soon, he found himself looking forward to the meetings more than anything else in his routine. Often times he'd take mental notes during the week about things he wanted to tell Snape, and spent long minutes staring at nothing in particular remembering some precious piece of advice he'd received, or some sarcastic remark the man had made, which once would've angered him, but now made him laugh freely. He did have a great sense of humor after all.

And the opposite was also true; he was always very disappointed to arrive and see the professor with a large pile of essays on his desk, because it meant they wouldn't talk for long, fifteen minutes or half an hour, at most; or when McGonagall scheduled staff meetings that day, and he quickly learned those could take hours, forcing him to go home empty-handed.

There was a lot he wanted to know about Snape, especially when he thought about the memories he'd seen in the Pensieve during the Hogwarts Battle, so many years ago. After he thought the man was dead, he buried those thoughts in his head; there wasn't anybody else who knew about them and it wasn't his place to share them with anyone, so there was nobody he could talk to about it. But the longer he spent in the professor's company, the more fascinating the man became, and the thirst to learn more about what made him who he was kept growing, until he finally mustered the courage to approach the subject.

"Can I ask you something?" He said quietly, sipping his tea. They'd already gone through the most relevant news of the week and had fallen into a comfortable silence for the past few minutes.

"I thought we were past needing permission for that, Potter." He replied, a light tone of sarcasm present in his voice, before the corner of his mouth lifted up in the shadow of a smile. "It doesn't mean I'll answer you, though."

Harry nodded, smiling nervously. "Why do you tolerate me?"

"Tolerate?" He seemed to think for a couple of minutes, and Harry let his eyes roam all around the room, avoiding the black gems. "I suppose... It's not all unpleasant to have someone to talk to every once in a while. As I'm sure you know, for most people, I'd be better dead, so it's not many who feel... comfortable enough to go past the necessary few words. And among the select few who... tolerate me, none have much time available for such things. But it would seem the Golden Boy has plenty of time to spare, wouldn't you say, Potter?" He teased.

Harry giggled. That would've been more than enough to make him attack the man back in his school days, but now it actually sounded funny. "Well, there had to be some advantage in being the savior of the wizarding world after all." He joked, and Snape snorted.

"And why to you... tolerate _me_, Potter?"

He smiled, blushing slightly. "I... like talking to you." He confessed quietly, and the Potions Master raised an eyebrow. "Most people still talk to like I'm some sort of hero, and I'm not. Ginny... Well, you know what the situation is with her, and it's not like I can talk to any of the Weasleys about that , it would be unfair. And Hermione... She always thinks she knows best, when most of the time I just need to vent, you know, and not be told what to do."

"It would seem you get more out of our... meetings than me, then, Potter. And I hardly think that's fair to my person."

"Well, it's not my fault though, is it?" He replied, blushing harder. "You're the one who never wants to talk about yourself."

"Are you insinuating you'd actually be interested in what I've got to say, Potter? That would be a first."

"Well, I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." He muttered back, still avoiding the black eyes which seemed very entertained by his reaction.

"Is this your way of asking me what happened after the war? How I survived?" He meant only to tease the man before him, but the defensive note on his voice was unmistakable. Even as a joke, he clearly held high reservations towards the subject.

"That, yeah, but not just that. I want... I'm interested in hearing whatever you want to tell me about yourself. Like... What it's like to teach here, or what you do with your spare time, or-"

"One would think you're actively trying to... _befriend_ me, Potter." He smirked. "I'm positive that would not be the case, or am I wrong?"

"Would it be such a bad thing? Wanting to be your friend?"

"You, Potter? And me? Are you sure you have the same memories about our history as I do?" He questioned, surprised.

"History, that's all it is, Snape. It's past, and we can leave it behind, can't we?" He was almost pleading. There was something about being around the man that fogged his reasoning, because he never realized the awkwardness of his behavior.

He narrowed his eyes at Harry, and though the brunet knew the man wasn't using any magic, he still felt like Snape could see right into his soul. "And why would you want that?"

"I don't know. Do I need a reason to want to be your friend? Especially after all this?" He asked, referring to their frequent meetings.

"I don't have any friends." He stated simply.

Harry bit his lower lip for a moment. "You had my mom."

"And I ended up killing her. Has it ever occurred to you there's a reason behind how I behave, boy?" Snape asked, slightly annoyed, feeling too much like he was Harry's professor again, trying to teach him something important the boy refused to learn.

"I'm not a boy." He complained in a low voice. "I've grown up. There was a lot I didn't understand then, and I did some pretty stupid things, but I've changed. And I understand the risks, and I still want to be your friend. Can't you just let me? I feel like you're the only one who gets me, and I need a friend right now."

"So when you don't need me anymore, you'll dispose of me, is that what you're saying?"

"No! Of course not!" Harry cried, frustrated. "That's not what I meant." He stayed in silence for a couple of minutes, trying to organize his thoughts again. "I'm not going to do to you what my father did, Snape." He said quietly, suddenly understanding what was happening. "I don't think you're a toy or anything. And I won't stop being your friend just because we disagree about things, or because of what other people say. And I'm not asking you to let me in just so I can hurt you, I have no intention of doing that."

Snape looked at him for a long time, making the brunet shift his position on the seat a few times, uncomfortable under the scrutinizing black eyes. "Suit yourself, then." He replied at least.

It took a moment for Harry to realize the Potions Master had agreed to be his friend, and he couldn't help smiling from ear to ear. "Thanks."

"You look like a school boy given candy on Halloween. Stop it, Potter." He replied, uneasy. "Now, if you're done with your emotional nonsense, I still have a lot of work to do." He took out a pile of parchment from the top drawer to accentuate his remark.

Harry got up, still smiling. "I'll come back next week, then." He said, heading to the door, and Snape ignored him.

He was particularly excited to return the following week, but he arrived in the castle just to find out some Slytherins had been acting up and Snape had spent most of the day in the Headmistress office - and still had no estimate of when their meeting would be over. He thanked the house elf who informed him - he soon realized they were the best source of information in the castle - before sighing, dragging his feet back to the fireplace. For a moment, it crossed his mind that the Potions Master could've at least let him know they wouldn't be able to meet that day, as any friend would, and then smiled at himself, realizing that would never be Snape. If it was a professional meeting, certainly, but not just because they were friends. And, besides, he didn't mind the wasted effort, not if it was to see that particular person, he thought, surprising himself.

Despite the new status of their relationship, the professor still didn't volunteer any personal information, preferring instead to just listen to what Harry had to say. It took the brunet another two weeks to gather the courage to ask what he'd been wanting to know since he realized they were actually talking to each other. If he was honest, the question had probably been pressing in the back of his mind since he found out Snape had survived.

"What happened after I left you in the Shrieking Shack?" He asked suddenly, afraid he'd lose his nerve.

"Why do you want to know? And why should I tell you?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm... Curious, I guess. I mean, I watched you die in my hands, and then, two years later, there you were, just like you had always been. Nobody expected that."

"Evidently, since everybody assumed I had died." He snorted. "Again, why should I tell you? When I haven't told anyone else and, most importantly, it's none of your business?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders, slightly intimidated. "Because we're friends?" He gave a tentative smile, but the professor's expression didn't change. "Because... Because I'm asking you to? And it would be good to have someone to share it with, wouldn't it?" He really couldn't think of any reason why the man should tell him, no matter how much he wanted to know.

"Just because I haven't told anyone, it doesn't mean nobody else knows." He said strictly, and they looked at each other for long moments. "Not that it's a big secret or anything, though. Not on purpose, at least. So I suppose there's no harm in telling you." Harry smiled, sitting up in his chair to listen more closely. "After you left... I used my last resources of energy to apparate to the only safe place I knew. My house at Spinner's End. I passed out immediately when I arrived there, and when I woke up days later, Draco was taking care of me."

"Draco?" He asked surprised.

"He's my godson, you know. And we've always been close, so when he heard what happened, and didn't find me in the Shrieking Shackafter the battle, he tried my house."

"I never thought he cared so much about you." Harry said quietly, and then smiled. "I knew he liked you back in school, and that you were always protecting him, but I never thought anything else of it."

Snape raised an eyebrow for a moment, then decided to ignore Harry's comment. "He dressed my wounds and ministered some potions, but he didn't know I'd been poisoned, so only when I told him I got access to the antidote. Luckily, Nagini missed my jugular, and the poison took longer to spread. Also, she's wasn't the most poisonous type of snake, and there was still time to revert the effects of her bite."

"And your leg?" He asked curiously.

"Because it took me so long to take the antidote, some of the effects were permanent. My knee is partially paralyzed as a consequence, but given the circumstances, I consider myself pretty lucky to have only that as a scar."

"Why did it take you so long to reappear after that, then? You said you woke up in a few days, didn't you?"

"I needed time to recover, Potter. I was in bed for weeks, and then I had to readapt to my new reality. And decide what I was going to do from there."

"Was Draco taking care of you all that time?" He asked, surprised.

Snape nodded. "He came around three times a day, and spent some time keeping me company. He wanted to stay longer, but by then nobody knew I'd lived, and we'd both agreed it was for the best."

"Not even his dad? I thought you were friends, wouldn't he like to-"

"I told you I don't have friends, Potter." He interrupted him, and Harry opened his mouth to protest, but he didn't let him. "Except you, if you must." He added quietly, and the brunet smiled again. "My relationship with Lucius has always been very complicated."

"In what way?"

"Now _that_ is none of your business, Potter."

"Sorry." He replied, his cheeks acquiring a faint pink color. He waited in silence for a few moments for the other man to continue, but he seemed done with his story. "Why did you return to Hogwarts?" He finally asked.

"This school... It's all I've ever known. I've spent my whole life here, there's not much more I could do for a living."

"But I was always under the impression you hated the students. I always thought that you'd be glad to get rid of them as soon as you could."

"I don't _hate_ those little brats. I just can't stand them most of the time."

"You say it like it makes any difference." Harry smiled, and the other man rolled his eyes.

"I thought about opening a potions shop once." He said after a quiet moment.

"Why didn't you do it, then? You're the best potions maker in the country, easily." He replied, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"And who would buy any of my products, Potter?" He asked like the answer was more than obvious.

"I would."

"A shop can't stay open with only one costumer, Potter, even you should know that."

He shrugged his shoulders, a little embarrassed. "I think it would've been great, though."

"Is there anything else you want to know about my life? Or can we move on already?" He asked, trying to sound annoyed, but Harry could somehow tell he wasn't dreading the topic as much as he wanted the brunet to believe.

He shook his head softly. "Thank you for telling me. It means a lot."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Potter."

Harry left the dungeons that day feeling very happy to finally be getting to know the man behind the mask. Unfortunately, the next time they saw each other was because one of his sons had nearly killed the other. After all the arguments he'd been involved in that day, he felt the pressing need to just talking to someone, and though he knew Snape probably wasn't the best person at the moment for the job - chances were, even if he was willing to talk, he'd still be infuriated James hadn't been expelled -, he couldn't think of anybody else, and decided to take his chances.

Once they'd finished dinner, he walked Ginny to their assigned room (as best as he could, since she seemed determined to ignore his existence) and let her know he was going for a short walk (not that she cared much, as she'd already closed the bathroom door before he was finished talking). As they'd had a bit of a late dinner, there weren't many students around, but he couldn't help smiling whenever a group of them passed him by, remembering his own days at the castle. One or two of them recognized him, and stared at him until he'd disappeared around the corner, making him laugh. But at least now, after all these years, people had begun forgetting what he looked like, his name becoming more of a story than a reality, finally giving him some peace to mind his own businesses.

He knocked quietly on Snape's office door once, twice, getting no reply. He let out a sigh, leaning against a wall and pondering whether to try again or just give up, when an older Slytherin student walked by him.

"Are you looking for Professor Snape?" The girl asked with a slight frown. Unless they were students headed for the potions class, there never was anybody other than Slytherins hanging around the dungeons, especially that time at night.

"Yes, but it seems he's not in his office." Harry replied with an apologetic smile.

"He's probably in his chambers already." She replied with a light shrug.

"Oh, I won't bother him, then. It's nothing urgent, after all."

"If you're sure... In any case, it would be that door over there." She pointed to a door across the hall. "It's not very late yet, so if you'd like to try... I mean, we all have knocked on his door in the middle of the night in our first year because of nightmares, and he never kicked us out or anything." She smiled at him, who raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh. I-I'll keep that in mind, then." He replied with a nod, and she smiled at him before walking away. Only as she did, he noticed the shiny Prefect badge on her chest.

For the following ten or fifteen minutes, Harry paced back and forth, weighing his options. He'd been surprised at Snape's reaction to the children, but knew he probably wouldn't get the same treatment, on the very other hand, he'd probably get a very angry Potions Master kicking him out. Then he leaned towards leaving the conversation for another day, and couldn't help being surprised at how disappointed he felt, and how much he just wanted to be in the man's company, and would take a few hesitant steps to his door, before turning around and changing his mind again.

"What do you want, Potter?"

Harry jumped in place when he heard the voice call behind him, turning around and blushing. "Wha- How-" He began, incapable of deciding what to say first.

"You've been walking outside my door for the past several minutes. And you're the only idiot who would do that at this hour." He replied, sounding very strict and even annoyed, but there was a slight amused glow in his eyes.

"I... Just, hm... Wanted to talk to you, but you, hm, since you've already, you know-"

"Do you have any intentions of finishing your sentence today, Potter?" He mocked, making Harry blush even harder. "I don't think today's the best day for us to talk." He said seriously after a moment. "Not after... Everything that's happened."

"I know." He replied quietly. "I thought you might still be angry at... my son, but I thought I'd risk it anyway."

"Why?" He raised an eyebrow.

_Because I wanted to see you_, Harry thought, surprising himself. He cleared his throat, trying to gain some time to think of something else. "I just thought, well, you know, that, hm.." Snape's eyebrow arched even higher. "I-I should probably go." He concluded a moment later.

The Potions Master just watched him for a couple of minutes, as the brunet finally made up his mind and turned to leave. He sighed after the man took two steps, calling him back. "Potter. If it's worth the risk of disturbing me in my chambers, whatever you need to talk about must be important. Come in."

Harry couldn't hide the large smile that spread through his face at those words, and had to try very hard not to hop in like a happy little girl. He was offered a seat by the fire and a drink, and accepted both as he curiously looked around the simply decorated room. Other than the couch and two armchairs around the fireplace, there was a desk covered in parchment and books on one side, and two floor-to-ceiling bookcases on the walls around it. On a corner, there was another door, which he assumed led to the bedroom.

The truth was, Harry wasn't too sure what he wanted to talk about, but he ended up staying there for over an hour, exposing his insecurities about his son, his problems with Gin and his fears for how it all might affect his other two children. And Snape found himself much calmer about the whole situation than he thought he would be, considering that not too long ago he was still fuming in anger at the light punishment Potter again was receiving.

Ginny was already asleep when he arrived back in their room, and instead of sharing the large bed arranged for them, he opted for the couch. He fell asleep almost instantly, and dreamt he was sitting on the bleachers of the Quidditch Pitch, Ginny to one side and Snape to the other, as they watched Scorpius and James compete in some game he didn't understand, both mounted on their brooms. He watched as the boys became more vicious to one another, eventually drawing their wands and casting spells at each other. Then, out of nowhere, Albus came flying to try and stop them, and the boy was hit by a stray spell, immediately losing conscience and falling. Then the boy seemed to be moving in slow motion as Harry fumbled his clothes in search of his wand, to find it in Ginny's hand. He realized in shock that it was the redhead who hit their son, in trying to hit Scorpius, and begged her to help Albus, but she merely shook her head and kept watching the boy fall. As he tried to seize his wand back, it disappeared, and panicking, he turned to the other side to ask Snape for help. Then the Potions Master was holding his falling son, and the two hit the ground, and Harry instantly knew the boy was safe but the man was dead. As he woke up panting and sweating, he could still hear the echo of Ginny's laughter in his head.

He took a few deep breaths before looking around the room, seeing everything blurry and reaching for his glasses on the coffee table. As he gazed out the window, the sun was just coming up, and he sighed, his heart still beating faster than normal. He headed to the bathroom for a cold shower and, as the redhead was still asleep, he left for the Great Hall, where the first students were already having breakfast. He sat quietly on one end of the Gryffindor table and sipped a mug of coffee for a long time, quietly watching the room fill up and wondering if there was any meaning behind the images that wouldn't leave his mind.

They were forced to spend another day in the castle, as Albus didn't wake up on Saturday, and lost in thought, he found himself standing outside Snape's door again that night. This time he was decided not to disturb the man, and turned to leave, when he remembered the fall in his dreams had killed the Potions Master, and couldn't help worrying about his physical health. He was evidently alive, but as far as he could tell, he hadn't been treated for any of the injuries he most certainly must've sustained while saving his son. And that gave him a legitimate reason to knock on the door, he thought with a smile.

After they returned home, Harry knew there was no escape from the argument he and Ginny were about to have. It started with small complaints and disagreements, but it soon escalated to yelling and crying, from both parts, each unable and unwilling to understand the other side, to compromise their own opinions in order to drag their tribulated relationship for a while longer. In the end, both of them were exhausted, and no words were needed for them to know it was time to split up, if not permanently, at least until they both had time to analyze what they still wanted from and were still willing to give for the relationship.

It was very awkward for Harry to find himself alone in the house. It suddenly felt too big, too filled with memories of all sorts, too oppressive for him to face alone. He walked for hours that day, the warm breeze playing with his hair and his eyes wandering through the life he encountered without really acknowledging anything. It was already dark when he returned home, and as he wasn't willing to cook just for himself, he assembled a sandwich and poured himself some of the pumpkin juice on a glass he took the study along with the plate, and sat by the fire to eat.

He spent a long time watching the flames dancing before his eyelids became heavy and he fell asleep on the couch. His body was sore the next morning, but he had work to do, and it would be good distraction from all the thoughts going round and round in his head. The image facing him in the mirror seemed older and more worn out that he remembered it being, but there was also a gleam in his eyes he hadn't seen in a long time. Slowly, the realization he was finally free began sinking in, and it was stronger than he ever thought it would be. And so was the guilt he was feeling for it.

He managed some vague distraction that morning, but feared meeting his friends for lunch and having to endure their inquiry, but he was positive there was no way he could escape it - and it would be that day. Certainly, all the Weasleys already knew about what'd happened, and by the way Ginny was crying when she left Grimmauld Place, they'd all demand explanations from him.

And as expected, short before lunch break, Ron and Hermione appeared in his office, the redhead much angrier and less friendly than his wife, and invited him out for lunch. He desperately didn't want to go, but figured the sooner he faced that, the better, so the three of them were off to a muggle restaurant a few blocks away. At least it meant his friends wouldn't make too much of a scandal, right?

They barely waited to be seated and place their orders before the lecturing began.

"Harry, we're very worried about what's going on between you and Ginny." Hermione began in that falsely understanding tone he already hated in his school years. "I don't really know what happened last night, but we were at the Burrow when she arrived, and she was devastated. Molly and I tried to talk to her, but all she could do was cry until she fell asleep."

Harry sighed, trying to figure out what they wanted him to say.

"What have you done to my sister, mate?" Ron asked seriously, his cheeks already acquiring a faint shade of pink.

"That's not how it was, Ron." He warned, annoyed. "_We_ argued, and _we_ said some truths none of us wanted to hear. And _we_ agreed it was for the best to... Spend some time apart and give each other room to think things through."

"What is going on between you two that would require that, Harry?"

He was very, very tempted to reply that it was none of her business, thank you very much, but took a deep breath instead. "We've been disagreeing in... Well, nearly every aspect of our lives. And after the recent developments..." He was reluctant to talk about their trip to Hogwarts just yet. "... There was just no way we could carry on as we were."

"What developments?" Hermione asked as he was sure she would, and was surprised Rose hadn't yet written a thousand letters telling them all about it.

"Some things happened between the boys, and we took opposite stances. But that was just the final straw, really. We haven't been getting along for a long time, so it's for the best that we each have some time for ourselves."

"Harry, if this is about Albus being on Slytherin, and befriending Malfoy, you have to understand-"

"Don't, Hermione." His voice was low and threatening. "What happened between us only concerns the two of us. And I'm not the one who needs to understand anything, she is. Even after all we've been through..." He began, but the waiter arrived with their drinks, and he dropped the thought. "I understand you want to protect her." He continued, his tone much lighter now. "But number one, she's a grown up, and can make up her own mind. And number two, not even you have the right to meddle into our private life, no matter your intentions. Not when none of us aren't in any danger of any kind."

"But Harry..." Hermione began softly with a tentative smile. "It doesn't mean you're splitting up for good, is it? I mean, Ron and I fight all the time-"

"It's different, Hermione, and you know it. And whether or not we split up, that's between the two of us."

"What about the kids? Think of how it'll affect them, if you get a divorce. And Lily is still so young! And so is Albus, and-"

"Don't you think it's better for them to have us separated and truthful than having us together under the same roof alternating between arguing and pretending things are fine?" He reasoned, sustaining the look he was exchanging with the woman for a moment longer before looking at the redhead, who'd been surprisingly quiet so far.

"You fix this, Harry." He said quietly, his anger poorly contained. "You make things right with Ginny or I swear I'll never forgive you."

They just looked at each other a moment longer, before their food arrived and they ate in silence. The walk back to the Ministry was tense, and the three didn't meet again for the rest of the week. The days seemed to drag for Harry, as he tried to think of all that would change depending on which course of action he decided to take. And more than anything, he wanted to talk to Snape about all that'd changed in his life, and all that still would, one way or the other.

All the time alone allowed him to reflect on his life as he hadn't in a long time. He often thought of the beginning of their relationship, remembering how it progressed and trying to pin down the exact moment things started going wrong, and looking for signs that side of his life was crumbling, but there were so many moments he overlooked before that he wasn't sure if there was ever a time they were in as perfect harmony as he once believed.

And the more he thought about it, the more certain he was that there was no going back for him. That part of his life, the life he shared with Ginny, was over. Even if she came around and saw things for what they were, even if by some miracle they began agreeing more than disagreeing again, he didn't love her anymore, and hadn't for a long time. Not as a lover, anyway. That wasn't an easy statement for him to make, and it weighed his heart to know it, but it was also a great relief to put it out in the open.

And more than that, it gave him the chance to realize he was beginning to fall for someone else.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty Four**

As the boys knew would happen, they met on the very first day of holiday, and as usual, they kept going back and forth between Grimmauld Place and the Malfoy Manor every day, working together on their homework and spending quality time with one another. Scorpius was clearly still feeling guilty about trying to push Albus away (and for getting him into danger, though it was less obvious), as he every so often would repeat his apology, and the brunet would patiently tell him yet again that they were fine now, and it was all that mattered.

But Albus's patience wouldn't last forever.

Actually, it didn't last the week.

"Enough, Scorp!" He said getting up and dropping the book that had been sitting open on his lap. They were sitting on the grass under a tree in the Malfoy Manor yard, studying and occasionally chatting. "I know you're sorry, both for putting me on that broom and for breaking up with me, but it's enough already." He was a little altered, and took deep breaths to calm himself down before sitting again.

The blond boy opened his mouth, but closed it again as he realized he was about to apologize again, and he knew it wasn't by far what Albus wanted to hear. They just looked at each other for long moments before the brunet half-smiled, his eye narrowing slightly.

"From now on, for every time you apologize for either of those things, it'll be a whole day without kissing me." He smiled, satisfied.

"Wha- But Al!" He protested, but the other didn't seem willing to back off, and instead he leaned over to kiss the boy, the threat of having it taken away creating the sudden need for contact. "Fine, then." He tried to sound at least a little angry, but his voice betrayed him, and he smiled a moment later.

"Anyway, there's something more important I'd like to talk to you about."

"What?"

"My birthday's coming up." He replied casually before smiling.

"And?" He asked, one eyebrow raised, already knowing what was coming.

"There'll be a party at the Burrow. And I want you to come."

"Al, you know very well they're not fond of me at all." He replied, shaking his head slightly and looking back at the open book on his lap. "I think I better not."

"So what if they don't like you? You're my best friend, and my boyfriend, and I want you there on my birthday. It's as simple as that."

"If only it were."

"What, so you won't come?"

He looked into the green eyes which were already acquiring a shade of hurt, before smiling. "Of course I will, if you want me to." He replied softly.

"Good!" He said as if the answer couldn't have been any other, before smiling and letting their lips met again briefly.

"Will you..." The blond began a couple of minutes later, a little hesitant. "You know, tell them all about us?"

"That was the plan, why?"

He shook his head slightly. "I was just thinking that, in that case, I better talk to my mom and dad first. They'll kill me if they hear it from someone else, if they don't kill me for hearing it at all." He smiled.

"Do you want me to come with you?" He offered.

"No, I think I'll be okay."

Albus nodded, resting his head on the boy's shoulder. "I don't feel like studying anymore." He complained, making the other giggle.

"What do you fell like doing, then?"

"I could tell you..." He whispered, turning his face to kiss Scorpius's neck slowly, sending shivers down the blond's spine. "But I'd rather show you." He completed, grabbing his earlobe between his lips and sucking it lightly.

Scorpius smiled, knowing they wouldn't pick up their books again that day.

Both boys knew Albus would be too requested by his family on the eve of his birthday for them to meet for more than perhaps a few minutes, so the blond decided to use the time he'd have for himself to talk to his parents. Fortunate or unfortunately, his grandparents made a surprise appearance for lunch, and as the five of them enjoyed the elf-prepared meal, he grew more certain that the two older Malfoys wouldn't leave anytime soon.

As he played around with his desert, he pondered what to do next. Should he ask to speak to his parents in private? Delay the news and hope nobody at the party would comment, at least not where Draco could hear it? But either way, the other four would find out sooner or later, and he'd always learned it was better to take responsibility for his actions and decided to tell them himself.

After they'd finished eating, they went to one of the many living areas, where the two men sat for a drink Lucius had brought them, and the women debated completely different matters. Usually, he would've returned to his bedroom by then, finally allowed to excuse himself and with no interest in either conversation, but that day the followed them quietly, trying to decide the best approach as they walked.

"Can I..." He began, getting their attention. It was very likely they hadn't properly noticed he was there, judging by the surprised look on their faces. "There's, hm, there's something I'd like to tell you." He said quietly, feeling his cheeks heating up quickly.

"What is it, love?" Astoria asked with a smile, tilting her head slightly sideways.

"I, hm, the thing is, hm, I..." He took a deep breath trying to gather some courage and avoiding their eyes. He'd never noticed how interesting the mantelpiece was before. "I'm seeing someone." He announced. "Not someone." He corrected himself quickly, before anyone could pose any questions. "Albus. We're... together now. He's my boyfriend." He completed, realizing just how red his cheeks could become.

"A-Albus?" Draco asked uncertain.

"Yes. Albus." He nodded firmly, still avoiding their gaze.

"The Potter boy?" Lucius questioned, disapproval clear in his voice, as well as traces of anger.

"Yes, Albus Severus Potter." He replied, bothered. Who else could he be talking about anyway?

"I think that's great, love." His mother smiled at him, and he relaxed a little as their eyes met. At least one of them wasn't mad or disappointed with him.

"Great?" Narcissa frowned.

"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure it's not serious." Draco said, looking around the room and stopping at his father, doing his best to sound reassuring.

"Of course it's serious!" Scorpius complained.

"Well, then you better end it while you're not too attached, because you will eventually. I'm confident you know you're expected to marry a woman and produce an heir to the family." Draco said strictly, mostly to keep his father from phrasing it worse and hurting his son even more.

"Wh- dad- no!" He replied, now flushed with anger. "Just because that's what's happened to you, it doesn't mean I'll agree to marry some girl you choose just because you want an heir!"

"Scorpius Malfoy." Lucius voice sounded severe and resonated clearly across the room, making the boy cower a little. "As a part of the Malfoy family, you have certain responsibilities, and one of them is to produce a male heir to carry on the family name. You may do as you please while you're at that school, but be certain that, no matter what you argue, you will not be relieved of your duty."

Scorpius swallowed hard. "I-I'm not marrying anyone just because you say so." He replied defiantly, but his voice was shaking with fear.

"As I've said, you have no opinion on the matter."

"Father, I'm sure-" Draco began with a tentative smile, but was interrupted.

"It was your responsibility to make sure the boy knew such things, Draco. Just because you were incapable of doing so, it doesn't mean they're not valid."

Draco opened his mouth again to argue, but almost immediately closed it again. He'd never really argued with his father, and didn't even know where to begin.

"Since we're on the subject, it sound suiting to announce I have already found you a wife, Scorpius." He said with a proud smile, looking at the boy who was on the verge of tears.

"Y-You have?" Draco asked quietly, getting the man's attention.

"Yes, indeed. Or you thought our travels were always just for fun?" He laughed easily, his wife smiled and Astoria shifted her position on the couch, uncomfortable. "She's a lovely young lady from Norway. Very beautiful, of course, so as not to damage our impeccable looks. Her father is very fond of joining their family with ours, despite our... reputation. There aren't many pure-blood families to choose from."

"Norway?" Draco repeated weakly, smiling forcedly. "S-She doesn't attend Hogwarts, then?"

"Oh, no. They have their own school up there. I hear it has a very high quality of education, though they seem to have a very strict policy towards the Dark Arts." He finished with a light tone of disappointment that made both Draco and Astoria very uncomfortable. Scorpius was still standing in the same spot, unsure what to do with his anger and rebellion and not absorbing any details other than he would be forced to marry some girl who'd already been picked out for him.

"That's, hm, that's good, then, father. I would not worry about school, though, as I'm certain the child would attend Hogwarts as-"

"I'm not marrying any girl. I'm not marrying anyone! And you can't force me!" He said loudly, the tears of anger finally leaving his eyes. "I don't care what you say, it's my life and I'll decide how to live it!" He yelled before turning around and running away, leaving four astonished adults behind.

Astoria got up after a few moments. "I better go after him." She muttered as she left the room.

When she got to Scorpius's room, she found the boy throwing his things inside his school suitcase, clothes, books and other things he thought he might need.

"Scorpius, love..." She called softly from the door, watching him.

"Go away." He mumbled, his voice muffled by the tears he could not contain.

"What are you doing, love?" Her voice was still very gentle, and she smiled sadly as she entered the room and sat on the bed beside the bag.

"What does it look like? I'm leaving."

"I know you're hurt-"

"I'm not marrying some girl they chose for me." He repeated. "If I marry anyone, it'll be Al."

"You know that's how it works in our family, Scorpius."

"Well, too bad for you, then. I don't want to be a part of this family anymore." He was walking back and forth, collecting things.

"Don't say that, love." She whispered sadly, holding his arm and making their eyes meet. "You know I love you very, very much, don't you?"

He looked away, embarrassed, and nodded weakly.

"I know it's hard to accept what they're saying-"

"I'm not accepting anything. It's my life." He replied, looking around the room to see if he'd forgotten anything. Satisfied with what he got, he pulled his arm free and closed the suitcase. "I'm sorry mom, but I can't be here anymore. I love you, but my life is mine, and they need to see that, or I can't be a part of their family." He added quietly.

"Where will you go?"

"I'll stay at Al's, I think. It's not like there's anywhere else." He replied, taking a couple of steps to the door. As he heard them discussing his future, running away seemed the only reasonable option, and it seemed very simple. But now his mother was there, asking him not to, it suddenly became very hard to leave all that behind.

Before he could walk any further, he felt Astoria's arms around him, her chin resting on his shoulder. More tears formed in his eyes, and he forced them back the best he could. "Be careful, love. And take care of yourself. I'll talk to your father and solve this, okay? And then you can come home again." She whispered on his ear, and the little self-control he'd gathered fell apart.

He turned to his mother and held her between his arms, dropping the suitcase beside them. After long minutes, they let go of each other and their eyes met. With a silent nod, she encouraged him to go ahead, and he walked quietly to the guest fireplace, the noises of the other three adults discussing what they expected would be his future wife echoing behind him.

"Scorpius?" Harry asked surprised as the boy emerged from the fireplace in the study. "Is... everything okay?" He asked carefully, looking from the boy's swollen face to the bag in his hands, and the blond nodded weakly, his eyes focused on the his own feet. "Albus is upstairs in his room. His mom and grandma have just finished-" He began, but Scorpius was already out of the room, and he let himself fall back on the couch. He'd have to talk to Draco soon.

The blond boy took a deep breath before entering his boyfriend's room.

"Hey, Al." He said quietly, leaving the suitcase by the door and closing it behind himself.

"Scorp!" The brunet smiled, jumping off the desk chair he was sitting on, his back to the door. But his expression changed almost instantly as he saw Scorpius's face. "What happened?" He asked quietly, putting his arms around the boy still struggling to contain his tears.

The two of them sat on the bed and the blond proceeded to explain to him all that had happened, getting very agitated in just a few minutes and getting up to pace around the room, all the while remembering that day's events. He didn't even realize he'd punched the wall until the glimpse of red caught his attention; he'd cut his hand in trying to damage the wall. But he was too angry to care, and having finished his narrative, he contemplated repeating the gesture as Albus tried to calm him down with words, not daring to approach.

"Is everything okay?" They heard Harry ask as he abruptly opened the door. "I heard a loud noise and-" He began, looking from one boy to the other, and then to Scorpius's bloody hand. "What happened?" He asked quietly, grabbing the hand to examine it, despite the boy's protests.

"He's... having some problems with his dad." Albus answered, knowing the blond wouldn't.

"I'm guessing he made you angry?" Harry half-joked, waving his wand over the cuts and watching them disappeared. With a satisfied smile, he let go of the hand, turning to the spot on the wall where he could see small blood stains. "Anything I can help with?" He offered, taking a brief moment to fix the wall before turning to the boys sitting together.

Albus shook his head. "I don't think so." He replied quietly. "Not right now, at least."

Harry didn't know what else to say, and let his eyes linger on the boys for a moment longer. Albus had his arm around the blond's shoulder, and Scorpius had hidden his face on the curve of the brunet's neck, one arm around his waist.

"If you need anything, just tell me, okay, Scorpius? I'm here to help." He said at last, but there was no response. "Just try not to go knocking walls down, okay? I know we need remodeling, but there are better ways to do it." He joked, and saw his son smiled weakly as he left the room.

The most pressing thought on Harry's head as he walked down the stairs was that he needed to talk to Draco as soon as possible. But if the man was as altered by whatever had happened as his son was, and Harry had strong suspicions he was, then it would be pointless to head to the Malfoy Manor immediately, as the blond would be incapable of having a reasonable conversation. He sighed as he let himself fall back on the couch where he'd been previously sitting, the book he'd been reading forgotten beside him and his eyes on the crackling fire, enchanted not to warm up the room that already felt too hot in that beginning of summer.

Ginny didn't say anything when she saw the blond boy at the table for dinner that night, and James was too exhausted, still struggling to get used to his new job, to pick on the boy. Lily didn't seem to mind him, though, and they exchanged a few friendly words, as she excitedly chatted about how she was helping with the preparations for Albus's party. As soon as they were done eating, they each went their own way, and the boys sat and talked for most of the night, the brunet still trying to ease the Scorpius's anger.

When they woke up the next morning, it was past ten already, and after a quick breakfast, they each had their turn in the shower, doing their best to be quick, as Ginny's complaints could be heard all around the house. Every time one of them was aimed at either of them, they'd just look at each other and smile, before carrying on with what they were doing, unaffected.

Short after eleven, all six of them were off to the Burrow by Floo, as the first guests were scheduled to arrive at noon and, according to Ginny's ramblings, there was still plenty to be done before that. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were thrilled to see their grandchildren, though not so much to see Scorpius: he politely shook hands with both of them, and they proceeded to ignore his existence. It could be worse, he thought to himself with a shrug, walking outside with his boyfriend.

As expected, before they knew it, the place was holding more people than it'd be reasonable, as Harry's acquaintance list seemed endless, and they all bid an invitation for every event he or his family held. Soon, two Quidditch teams had been organized and kids and adults alike were playing a little further from the house, where their noises wouldn't disturb the conversations and vice-versa. Albus encouraged the blond to go join them, and after a short while, he grew definitely tired of all the talking and found himself a broom in an old shed. It seemed that family had as endless a stock of brooms as they did of children.

Once they were all properly fed, and too tired and sleepy to continue playing, Ginny and Lily brought out the cake, with fifteen small candles lit on top of it, and as they approached the place in the table where he was sitting, everybody began chanting "Happy Birthday". As usual, especially when they were together, James and Fred didn't miss an opportunity to embarrass someone, and as soon as the candles were out, they began chanting "Speech! Speech!", which in no time was picked up by the other guests and before he knew it, Albus was standing on the chair he'd been sitting on, all eyes turned his way and his cheeks a deep shade of pink.

"Okay, okay." He said finally, and everybody went silent. "So, hm, yeah, thanks everybody for coming. It means a lot." He continued, avoiding to look anyone in the eye, until he caught a the smile that spread through the blond's lips, which seemed to shine more than anybody else's. Silver met green for a brief moment, and Albus too smiled, looking out to the guests once more. "There's, hm, there's something else I'd like to say." He felt his stomach do a cartwheel in anticipation. "I'd just like to make something official." As his eyes went to his parents, on his other side, he knew they'd already guessed what he was about to say. His mother had her jaw dropped and was looking angrily at him, and his father smiled encouragingly. "As some of you know, I've been seeing someone for a while now." There was a roar of excitement, and he caught James's eyes as the boy realized his plan had backfired. "So I'd like to introduce you all to my boyfriend, Scorpius Malfoy." He smiled and offered a hand to the boy, pulling him up the chair.

This time, there were no cheers, or any other sound. Everybody seemed in complete shock at the news, and it took them several moments to dare to blink and breathe again. Albus couldn't help thinking it was a little funny, the whole situation, as he climbed down the chair, his hand still holding Scorpius's, who was now as pink as the brunet was moments before.

"Did you have to make it so dramatic?" Scorpius whispered, hiding his face on the boy's shoulder.

"Well, why not?" He replied, smiling.

And still, none of the guests had moved. He looked around, and found his brother shooting angry looks at him, his father with an air of amusement much like himself and, as his eyes finally met Ginny's, the spell seemed broken, and she stomped out of the garden and into the house. That seemed the implicit permission all the other guests were waiting for, and the talking recommenced, though in a much lower voice and, from what they could pick up, all focused on the same subject.

"Well, I'm glad you two finally worked things out." He heard Teddy at his back, smiling. "Seems you returned his feelings after all." They hadn't noticed, but while everybody had been staring at them in shock, the man had been trying to make his way across the crowd to reach them.

"Yeah. Thanks for... You know." Albus replied, smiling.

"Don't worry about it." He said, patting the boy on the shoulder. "And you..." He looked at Scorpius, frowning. "You better take good care of him, or I'll come after you." He said in his best threatening tone, and the blond felt his heart stop for a moment, before the man with blue hair laughed and also patted his shoulder, before turning to walk away.

"Who... Who's that?" He asked after a moment.

"My cousin Ted." He replied smiling.

Slowly, some people approached them to congratulate the brunet - on his fifteenth birthday, not his new relationship -, and the party started looking like a party again. The last guests - his uncles, aunts and cousins - only left after the sun had set, and they decided to eat the leftovers for dinner before heading home, instead of cooking a whole new meal.

Most of his older relatives didn't say anything about his announcement, and though it was subtle, they did seem a little warmer towards Scorpius. But it was a big shock to Ron, who had to be dragged out of the party a while before, as he kept announcing his extremely unfriendly plans towards Scorpius, in particular, and all the Malfoys, in general. Both his grandparents seemed decided to pretend nothing happened, and every chance they had, they reinforced the blond's status as Albus's _friend_.

All in all, the brunet thought as they lay in his bed that night, it could've been a lot worse.

Seemingly in response to that thought, he felt Scorpius smile in his sleep against the skin on his neck, and he too fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty Five**

After a couple of days Scorpius had been in his house, Harry decided it was safe to try and talk to Draco, and took a fireplace to the manor unannounced one afternoon after he returned from the Ministry. He was afraid the other would avoid him, though he wasn't quite sure why.

His arrival set of some sort of bell, and within seconds, a house-elf was in front of him, looking curiously at the unexpected guest. Harry smiled kindly at the creature.

"I'd like to see Draco Malfoy, please." He requested.

"Master Malfoy wasn't expecting any guests, Mr. Potter." He (or so Harry guessed) replied in a high-pitched voice, trembling a little, as if he was scared of something.

"I know, but I'd like to see him anyway. Do you think it would be possible?" He asked gently, a little uncomfortable with the conversation.

"I-I will announce your arrival to Master Malfoy. Please wait here, Mr. Potter." The elf requested, and Harry nodded briefly before he was gone. A minute or two later, Draco entered the room, followed by his wife and his parents, to Harry's surprise.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" Lucius asked, almost spitting his name as if it were something disgusting. It seemed he hadn't moved on from the war, then.

"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy." He nodded with the best smiled he could muster, and turned to the women. "Mrs. Malfoy. Astoria." The last woman smiled at him. "I'd like to talk to you, Malfoy, if that would be possible?"

"I believe this is not the best moment, Potter." He replied, shaking his head a little.

"I think you know this already, but it's about your son." He insisted.

"What do you have to say about my grandson?" Lucius questioned, one eyebrow raising disapprovingly.

"How is he?" Astoria asked, her worry evident in her voice.

"He is fine, don't worry." He smiled kindly at her. "But I'm afraid to say it still doesn't look like he's planning to come home."

"And why would you know such things of my heir, Potter?" Lucius insisted, frowning.

"I'm sure you know it, but my son and your grandson are..." He hesitated for a moment, not knowing how much the boys had told them, and decided not to make the situation any worse, he opted for a different word from the one that first came to his mind. "Best friends, and Scorpius knows he's welcome in my home whenever he needs it. So after whatever happened here that left him so altered, he sought shelter at my house." He explained calmly. "Given the... delicate nature of the situation," He continued, turning to Draco, "I'd like to have a few minutes in private with you."

"Whatever you have to say about my grandson, you can say in front of me, Potter." Lucius insisted, and Narcissa walked to him, holding his arm.

"I know you're worried, but I think it's best if we give them some privacy, Lucius." She said in a low tone, and it was easy to tell from his expression he wasn't happy at all about the situation.

Draco cleared his throat, looking from one adult to the other. "Very well, then. Join me in my office." He said at last, and it wasn't an invitation, it sounded more like an order - which didn't surprise Harry at all, as it was just as he remembered the blond behaving. Maybe being under pressure brought back old habits. "So? What is this about?" He asked once they'd sat each on one couch by the fire.

"Would you... Tell me what happened to make Scorpius run like that?" He asked, not wanting to make things worse for pure ignorance.

"I believe it's none of your business-"

"Your son arrived in my house very altered, Malfoy. He punched the wall so hard it drew blood, and he's refused to address the matter ever since."

"It is true we've had a... disagreement, but again, it doesn't concern you, Potter."

"I think..." He bit his lower lip for a split second before continuing. "I think I know what happened."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"I think... Scorpius told you about his relationship with Albus, and you didn't... take it too well."

"So you knew our sons were... dating?" He asked, surprised, and Harry nodded, a slightly embarrassed smile on his lips. "For how long? And why didn't you tell me?" His tone was somewhere between alarmed and angry.

"I've known for a while now. And it's not my place to tell; I knew they would when they felt ready." Harry hesitated a moment before adding, "Perhaps because of the way you reacted that they delayed it so long."

"I don't know what he expected, but he certainly must've known it wouldn't be any different."

"What wouldn't?"

"I admit my father isn't the subtler of people, so when he heard about it... He immediately dismissed it as unimportant teenage behavior, and reminded him he had the responsibility of bringing an heir to the family." He sighed, and only then Harry noticed how tired he looked. "And then he kept going on and on about this girl he'd found for him, and his responsibilities to the family name-"

"And let me guess? You didn't do anything? Or even worse, agreed with your father?"

"I know I should've said something. But I thought Scorpius knew that's what's expected of him."

"And having an heir is more important than your son's happiness?" He arched an eyebrow.

"I- Wha- The two aren't connected." He replied, shaking his head.

"Of course they are. As I'm guessing happened to you, you intend to force him into a marriage with someone he might not even know and certainly doesn't care about enough to make such a commitment, and that will make him undoubtedly unhappy just so the family line can continue."

"It's not your place to judge us, Potter, and not that it's any of your concern, but I married Astoria willingly, and we've been happy together ever since." He replied, slightly altered.

"And does she know about your... escapades?" He asked, remembering their trip to Romania.

"Again, our marital arrangements are none of your business. But evidently I've been too soft with Scorpius if he thinks that, just because he's seeing someone, and thinks it's serious, he'll be relieved of his duties." He said conclusively.

"You're really willing to lose a son over that? Don't you see, Malfoy? Either you accept him for what he is or you'll have no son to produce an heir at all!" He was also getting agitated, and stood up. Taking a few breaths, he walked back and forth a couple of times before looking back at the blond. "Just... Think about it, okay? Figure our your priorities, and then maybe we can persuade Scorpius to come home." He said quietly before leaving the room.

Two weeks passed between that conversation and the next time Harry met Draco. The blond man, finally rid of his parents, sent an owl to Harry letting him know he intended to go to Grimmauld Place to fetch his son that night, and to have the boy ready. It was easy to tell the whole situation had started off on the wrong foot, so it was no surprise when Scorpius started protesting loudly as Draco tried to drag him downstairs towards the fireplace.

"No, I'm not going, let me go!" He complained, pulling his arm from his father's tight grip.

"We'll talk about it when we get home. Now come on!" Draco hissed back, evidently angry not only to be defied, but to be defied in public.

"No, I'm not going, you can't make me!"

After a few minutes during which the two struggled, each pulling one way and Scorpius using the stairs banister for leverage, Harry got tired of watching and flicked his wand, separating the two.

"If you can't behave in a civilized manner, I'll have to ask you to leave, Malfoy." He said firmly, looking at the man almost shocked to have Harry use magic on him. "You want to talk to him? Great. The two - or three -" He added, turning to Astoria, who was on the verge of tears. "Of you can use the study. And then you decide what happens. But I'm sick of this." He warned, and for very tense moments, they all just looked at each other.

"Fine." Draco said at last. "We'll talk here, then. But rest assured I'll be putting plenty of privacy spells on the room, Potter, so don't even thing about eavesdropping."

"I wasn't planning to, Malfoy." He replied angrily, before taking a deep breath. "Go on, Scorpius." He encouraged, and the boy hesitantly came down the stairs.

For the next hour and a half, Harry and Albus sat at the bottom of the stairs, anxiously waiting for the others to come out of the room. They couldn't hear anything, evidently because of Draco's spells, and it made them even more nervous. Ginny had simply rolled her eyes at the whole scene and taken refuge in her office, James was passed out in his bedroom and Lily was trying to do her homework in the kitchen table. She always complained she didn't like to be alone if it could be helped, and rarely studied in her own bedroom.

Finally the three blonds emerged from the room, Astoria with her face red and swollen from the tears she obviously shed, but all three of them were smiling. Scorpius quietly made his way upstairs with his Albus on his tail, and they heard Harry ask, "I assume everything was solved, then?"

"So? Is everything alright now?" Albus asked anxiously, watching the other boy collect his things from all around the room.

"Yeah." The blond replied with a faint smile. "Dad apologized for not doing anything about it, and said that I don't have to marry anyone I don't want to."

"That's great!" He replied excitedly, jumping from the bed where he'd been sitting and walking to the boy for a hug and kiss.

"He keeps insisting on an heir, though." He said quietly, their foreheads resting against one another. "I don't know how we'll pull that one off." He joked before kissing the brunet again.

Once they broke the kiss, Albus giggled. "I'm sure we'll think of something." He replied letting the boy go, so he could finish packing. "I'll miss having you around, though."

"We're just a fireplace away." He joked, smiling.

"Yeah, well, it still isn't the same as having you live in my bedroom."

Scorpius closed the suitcase and picked it up. "I guess not."

They shared a long kiss, the bag falling to the floor as hands became eager to explore one another, retrace all the trails they knew so well.

"Scorpius! Come on!" They heard Draco call, and broke the kiss, chuckling.

"Okay. Let's go, then." The brunet said, picking up the bag and making his way downstairs.

Harry felt strangely relieved to see the three of them leave together, all of them smiling. Whatever agreement there was between them, they were all content with it, and he wished for a moment that he and Ginny too could make things work again between them. But after nearly a month sharing a house with her again, he knew they never would. And knew it was time to for them to lay all their cards on the table and settle their problems for good.

"Gin? We need to talk." Harry asked quietly a few days later, standing at the door to her office. All three kids were spending the day with their grandparents, and he decided to seize the opportunity.

"I'll be right there." She replied in the same tone, with a slight nod.

They sat face to face in the study, observing one another for long minutes, the only noise made by the crackling flames in the fireplace. Neither knew where to begin, yet they both knew very well where it would end.

"I think..." They said at the same time and smiled, motioning for the other to go ahead.

"Okay. I'll go." Harry said after a few moments, taking a deep breath. "I think..." He began, uncertain. "I don't think this is really working between us." He confessed. After a month and a half on his own, it was at least very strange to be sharing the house with Ginny again.

"Harry... I know we have our differences. A lot of them. But I've been thinking, and the children are still so young, Lily and Albus, I really think we should give it another try, for them."

"That's the problem, Gin. At least on my side, these past years, the past decade, even, I've been doing it for them. And as much as I want what's best for them, I don't think this is it. I don't think I can go on with this farce."

"What you mean, for the past decade?" She asked, frowning, the first signs her control was giving already showing. "For the last year, two, maybe since Al went to Hogwarts, maybe, but certainly not more than that."

"I've had a lot of time to think. And so did you. And I think it's time for us to be honest with ourselves and with one another, Gin." He replied quietly, avoiding her eyes. "I loved you so much, once. And I still love and care for you as a friend, and I always will. More than that, even, I'll always consider you, and the rest of the Weasleys, my family. But I can't honestly say I'm still in love with you, or that I still love you as... I don't know, call it what you want, a wife, a partner, a lover."

"Fine. I suppose you're right, it's clear we're not _in love_ with one another anymore, and haven't been for a while. But are you also implying that what we've had was a lie? That you were _pretending_ all this time?" There was a hurt tone in her voice, and he sighed.

"I didn't fake it. I told you, I care about you, and I wasn't lying. But I haven't loved you like that in a long time, and I think you haven't either. Think about it, Gin. When was the last time we even bothered with each other?"

"I can't believe what you're saying, Harry." She stated firmly, standing up and starting to pace around the room. "This is what we've always wanted, our dream, wasn't it? Us, together, with our family-"

"It was our dream. But it isn't anymore. It isn't what we want, what _I_ want, anymore."

"Why?" She asked, hurt, her back turned to him and the first tears running silently down her cheeks. "Why would you say something like that? Why would you be so mean?" Her voice was getting higher with each sentence.

"I'm not being mean. I'm being honest, and I thought that was the point of this conversation." He replied calmly, but definitively.

"I don't believe you, Harry. After everything we went through-"

"Can't you see this isn't about the past? We achieved a lot together, and this doesn't diminish that. But the present reality is, we don't work as a couple, not anymore, not for a long time now. And I'm sorry to say, but I'm not willing to keep wasting efforts to try and fix that. I've tried for too long already."

"The day we got married." She said quietly, still refusing to look at him. "We made a promise. Whatever came our way, we'd stick together. We'd work it through, we'd dedicate ourselves to making that commitment work."

"And I meant it when I said it, Gin."

"What happened, then? How can you say you'd rather give us up without even trying-"

"I have tried." He replied quietly, standing up. "I've tried really hard for really long. I've been really patient, and made more concessions than I thought I'd be capable of. Than I'd make for anyone else. And I'm sure you did too. Because I believed things would get better, that if only that time I let it go, things would be fine. But they weren't."

"We've had our problems, sure, but certainly-"

"No, we've had our problems and chose to overlook them, hoping things would be as they used to. But they didn't. They couldn't."

"I can't believe you're actually saying that, Harry." She shook her head slowly, drying the last traces of tears and taking a deep breath before looking at him again. "Fine. What didn't we properly discuss, then?"

"Gin..." He sighed, turning to the window for a few moments before meeting the brown eyes watching him. "A world of little things. Most of them unimportant, some that really mattered. I don't think it'll do us any good to revolve the past, in any case."

"You keep saying we have so much unsolved business between us that the idea of being together isn't appealing to you anymore, and yet you keep refusing to address whatever's bothering you?" She asked, angry.

"No, Gin, I don't want to bring it up because it'll end up the way it always does, with the two of us yelling at each other, too busy at arguing our sides to actually listen to one another, before one of us gets sick of it and walks out."

"That's just because you-"

"Don't make excuses." He said between gritted teeth, feeling the anger already growing inside him. "You don't believe me? Fine. Let's get the latest of our arguments, then. James damn near killed Albus, but you're still angry at _Albus_ for having a boyfriend, and insists James wasn't to blame, when he very well admitted to his doings."

"No, but that's-"

"And now you'll argue how James didn't know what he was doing, it was only a prank, and wasn't aimed at Albus, and I'll tell you how he's a grown up and should be at least a little more responsible for his actions. Then you'll tell me how Scorpius is a bad influence and absolutely must be forcing this relationship into Albus, and that all the problems between the boys are his fault, and I'll tell you he's a good boy and you need to respect your son and love him for who he is instead of being angry at him for not being what you expected him to be. And then you'll bring up how we should've severed their friendship from day one and have Albus transferred to Gryffindor, where-"

"Okay, fine, I got the point!" She complained louder than him, and they sustained the angry look they were sharing for long moments.

"It doesn't matter how many times we go through that." He said quietly, a few minutes later, sitting back on the couch after pouring himself a dose of Firewhisky. "We always get stuck in the same arguments, and we'll both feel hurt the other doesn't understand and proceed to ignore one another for a while, and become civil again only after deciding not to address the matter again."

She didn't have arguments to counter him, and Harry seemed to be done talking as well, so they just sat in silence, across from each other, avoiding to look at one another. Once again they'd sat to discuss their relationship and got nowhere; at least they hadn't started screaming yet and they were still in the same room.

"I... I like somebody." He said quietly, not really knowing why. Perhaps because he'd decided to talk to Ginny honestly, perhaps because he wanted to somehow make her feel a little better about their situation.

"So it's not about me, then." She replied, getting angry again, and he immediately regretted his decision. "Who is she?"

"It doesn't matter, Gin."

"What you mean, it doesn't matter? Of course it does! I have the right to know who's the bitch that's splitting us up." She complained.

"It doesn't matter." He repeated quietly.

"So, how long have you been cheating on me for?" She questioned, even angrier that he refused to answer her.

"I haven't cheated on you, Ginny. Never. Nothing's happened, and probably nothing will. But I'm not in love with you anymore, and I can't keep pretending we're still together."

"Who is it?" She insisted, not reassured at all by his reply.

"As I've said, it's one-sided, and it probably will lead nowhere, so drop it, okay? I don't even know why I told you." He mumbled the last part, drinking the rest of his whisky before leaving the glass on the table beside the couch. "What I want to talk to you about is what you think we should do next, and how we should break it to the children."

"So this is it, then? Twenty years out the window just like that?" She was so evidently hurt it annoyed Harry, and he took a deep breath before replying.

"Not out the window. They were twenty years of my life as well, and I'll always cherish what we shared. But my decision is final, Gin. I..." He hesitated, never having said the word before, at least not regarding his relationship with the redhead. "I want a divorce."

"What... What if I say no?" She insisted, clearly much more hesitant to end the relationship than him.

"It takes two for this to work. And I'm no longer in it. So don't make this harder than it has to be, don't make us fight over it and end up hurting each other. We still share three beautiful children, and it's best that we're in good terms with one another, for their sake."

They remained in silence for long minutes as the redhead tried to work with her new reality. "I..." She began weakly, eyes focused on the fire and battling the tears that once again threatened to fall. "Can we wait until the end of their holiday? I think it would be for the best. I still need to... get used to that idea myself. And then they'll have school to distract them, so hopefully they won't keep thinking about it, and friends to... to talk to."

Harry nodded. "I think it's a good idea. And we both need to tell them together, Gin. They need to know it's _our_ decision, not just one of ours."

"It is, though, isn't it?" Her voice was shaking as the first tear dropped. "I'd stay with you, but-"

"But I don't want to be with you anymore." He said conclusively, before she had the chance to start their previous argument again. "What will you do?" He asked after a moment, trying to change the subject a little, but not really interested in the reply.

"I'll stay at the Burrow for a while, I guess. While I look for a place for myself." She shrugged weakly, drying a stubborn tear.

"Do you want me to help you with that?" He offered. He hoped, after all, that they could somehow still remain friends. They'd shared too much - and he'd lost too many people - not to want that. "Looking, or buying or-" He continued, but she shook her head.

"I'll be fine. Thanks."

He nodded briefly, and suddenly they were very uncomfortable around one another. Without saying anything, the redhead left the room and entered her office, which she didn't leave until the kids arrived for dinner. They weren't sure they didn't know what was going on, as they were civil to one another, but didn't behave much more like two people who happened to live under the same roof.

But at least now he knew where he stood, and it made him surprisingly relieved and weightless to have that matter settled. It had been his choice, and he knew he wouldn't regret it. Now the only thing left to do was to deal with the consequences of that decision. And unfortunately he knew it would be much harder than it had been so far.


	36. Chapter 36

**Author's note: **I'd just like to thank my reviewers again, since I've had a couple of anons leaving me messages and I won't be able to reply to them directly... Particularly Icy W for all her compliments... You're making me blush =$

-/-/-

**Chapter Thirty Six**

After the first couple of weeks, James was adjusting to his new working life, and though he still pretended to hate it more than anything, the truth was, he was beginning to enjoy it. Sarah, the other employee, was always nice to him, and kindly helped him with everything he needed in the beginning. She was perhaps ten or fifteen years older than him, and he was surprised he could get along so well with an actual grown up. Because despite being of legal age and using it as an excuse to do as he pleased, he'd never really thought of himself as an adult.

George was always around, as he and his wife lived above the shop most of the time now Roxie was at school and Fred had his own place, now he was playing Quidditch professionally. Angelina showed up occasionally, and she always laughed at something silly James always had to say to her, even though his uncle didn't seem too appreciative of it. And what was once noise to his ears became routine, and he learned the names of the regular customers, and began inquiring after their families when they came by. It was a strange feeling for him not to be constantly scanning the room for targets, but not at all unpleasant.

One day, near the end of July, James had stayed late cleaning up - a particularly messy group of children had come in right before they closed the doors, and had made an enormous mess -, and after he was done, he went looking for George, to let him know he was going, as he always did. He tried the back room, the supplies room and even upstairs, but the place seemed deserted. As he was coming down again, he noticed for the first time the trapdoor that led to the basement, and now the lights were off and the sun had set, he could see clearly the yellowish gleam escaping through the chinks in the wood.

His heart began beating a little faster, as if he was doing something wrong - and he wasn't, right? After all, just because he hadn't been told the room existed, it didn't mean he was forbidden to go there, right? -, and he carefully opened the door, going down the wooden steps as quietly as he could. Once he was all inside the room, he let his eyes wander around, and couldn't help the amazement as he realized it was a huge lab with all sorts of ingredients spread around the walls, three large countertops, one of which holding an empty caldron and the other two with what was undoubtedly projects for new products, and bits and pieces of colorful things spread all around.

On the furthest counter, he found his uncle sitting with his back turned to him, one of his elbows resting on the surface, his hand propping up his head, and the his wand on the other hand moving slowly in an apparently haphazard fashion. He continued walking, trying to see what the redhead was doing, and as he got closer, he tripped on something forgotten on the floor and went down face first, getting the man's attention.

"James! Are you alright?" George asked alarmed, jumping up his seat and rushing to help get the boy back on his feet.

"Yeah, I'm okay, uncle George." He smiled, rubbing the place where he hit the floor and a bruise was already starting to form.

"Hold on, let me take care of that." He replied, nodding his head towards the injury and conjuring a bag of ice. "Here, put this on there. And once you're done with that, I know a spell to disappear with that bruise." He pushed the bag on the boy, who couldn't help jumping back and letting out a surprised sound at the temperature shock. George's lips curled up slightly at his reaction, and he indicated the stools where he was sitting. "What are you doing down here anyway?"

"I just wanted to let you know I was leaving." He replied with a light shrug. Somehow, once he was down there, it didn't feel quite right be there. "What were you working on?" He asked, finally getting a good look on the round object on the table. It resembled a rubber ball, slightly bigger than the snitch. But knowing his uncle, that was probably the last thing it was.

"Oh, just something..." He hesitated for a moment, and swallowed hard to undo the lump on his throat. "Something Fred and I were working on before the war." He completed, avoiding the boy's eyes.

He suddenly understood why it felt so wrong: that was the space his uncle shared with his dead brother, the one nobody ever talked about. Probably nobody was ever down there either. "I-I'm sorry." Was the only thing he could think of.

"It's alright." He ruffled the boy's hair with a sad smile. "Your dad tells me you like to pull pranks on people."

"Yeah, well..." He smiled, a little embarrassed. After risking Albus's life, he hadn't even had any ideas for anything. Besides, he'd been busy with his finals, and then work, and they both had worn him out too much for anything else to cross his mind.

"I did too. We did." He replied quietly, letting his eyes wander around the room, undoubtedly remembering all the things he'd done there with Fred. "That's how the idea for the shop was born. We always had good ideas, that nobody else seemed to have. And, of course, after we tested them, we thought it would be fun for others to have access to them as well." He picked up what seemed like a miniature airplane wing. "This was supposed to be a new way of flying. We were testing it in small scale to see if it worked, then we'd build it on the proper size. We saw it once in one of those muggle things that have animated pictures. It was like a board, with people flying on it. The boy watching it said it wasn't real, it was just... what did he call it?" He looked up, searching his memory for the right word. "I don't know. One of those weird things they seem to have everywhere now. But Fred and I knew we could make that for real."

"Did it work?" James asked curiously, and his uncle shook his head.

"We... didn't have a chance to finish it. We were having trouble controlling it, so it wasn't safe."

"Think it would one day substitute brooms?" He suggested with a smile.

"It wasn't supposed to fly that high. Just a foot or so off the ground, just for a little fun. And then it would throw you out. We were still developing a safe way for people to land, as well."

"And... Why didn't you continue?" He asked quietly. Nobody in his family ever told him not to talk about Fred, but he'd long ago noticed the subject was taboo among them, and felt very uneasy to bring it up.

"It was pointless without Fred." He replied quietly, putting the object away. "And I can't seem to make anything work without him anyway. Not that I can really try."

"I'm sorry." He said again, searching for something he could say to cheer the redhead up. "What about... New things? That... wouldn't depend on..." He let his words die, realizing he hadn't changed the focus at all.

"I didn't have any ideas after he was gone. I just kept the shop because I know that's what he would've wanted me to do." He gave a faint smile. "That's what _I_ would've wanted him to do, if it'd been the other way around."

They remained quiet for the next several minutes. "Can you... Show me how that works?" James asked, pointing to the toy in front of them.

He shrugged. "I suppose it won't do any harm." He replied quietly, picking up another toy shaped like a person and putting it on top of the board he was holding a couple of inches from the table. "You'd get on it, and then, depending on how you lean on it, it goes either way." He explained, demonstrating with the miniature man. "And then..." He said, pointing his wand at the character and having him stand on its own. "When it detects the magic coming from you, it activates." He explained, and then gave different commands as they watched the board move around the table. Then, suddenly, it rushed forward and up, completing a loop and dropping the man half-way through. As the two parts lost contact, the board was deactivated, landing softly on the counter. "That always happens." He added, putting his wand down.

James took the two parts and looked at them for a long time, the bag of ice forgotten on one side. "May I... borrow this?" He asked quietly, and the other man shrugged.

"Sure, why not? I'm not doing anything with it anyway." James smiled at him, putting the toys in his pocket. "Here, let me fix that." He offered, holding the brunet's chin and turning it to one side, giving him better access to the purple spot on the boy's face. "It happened all the time when we tested out things." He explained, waving his wand over the bruise. "I think I can still... Ah, there you go. Gone."

James ran his hand over the spot he hit on the floor, surprised not only not to find any swelling, but also to feel no pain. "Thanks, uncle George." He said with a large smile.

"Well, anyway. We've talked plenty for today, haven't we? Your dad will worry. Off you go."

James nodded quickly, jumping up and making his way back to the shop without looking back. After the first few days, they managed to connect the upstairs fireplace to the one at Grimmauld Place, and he didn't need to go all the way to the Leaky Caldron just to Floo home. He was very quiet that day during dinner, and instead of going straight to bed once he was done eating, he headed for the study and left the room with a pile of books in his hands. Both adults raised their eyebrows when they crossed him on the corridor, but said nothing. It was about time the boy started taking some interest in his studies.

James stayed up late every night that week, and for most of his day off he was locked in his room. The first thing he did was learn how to detect which spells had been cast on the toy, so he knew exactly how it worked. He then studied all he could find about them, and after almost two weeks of very hard labor - not that he perceived it as so, as he was as interested and focused as he didn't remember being -, he figured out what was wrong with the flying board and could barely contain his excitement when he arrived at the shop the next day.

"Uncle George! Uncle George! I have something to show you!" He exclaimed right off the fireplace, smiling broadly.

"Down here, James!" Came the reply, and he rushed downstairs. "What is it?" He asked with a sympathetic smile. He was behind the cashier, counting the money before they opened, as he did every morning.

"Just... Just look." He replied, taking the two objects from his pocket and putting them on the counter. He then pulled out his wand and tapped it on the little man figure, who walked to the board and hopped on it. Then he was taken for a short ride before being dropped off, this time from a safe height. "I don't know what to do about the fall, I don't know much about those kinds of spell, but I was thinking, maybe if we could get him to bounce off the floor until his momentum had died, or perhaps bounce back to his feet, I think we could make it work." He explained, tapping the man with his wand again to deactivate it and looking up.

George's eyebrows were raised in surprise. "I-I don't know what to say." He replied, a smile forming on his lips and tears pooling to his eyes. "It's... it's been so long... I thought... I just..." He began, a million thoughts running through his head.

"Uncle George?" He called hesitantly.

He shook his head. "That's... that's fantastic, James."

"Are you sure? You're not mad at me or anything? Because-"

"No, I'm not mad." He smiled again, wiping his eyes and shaking his head to get himself back under control. "It's just... I never thought it could be done, you know, without Fred."

"Maybe I shouldn't have, then." He said quietly, feeling very self-conscious. Maybe he was out of line again, and his parents were right in saying that some matters should be left alone.

"No, no, of course not, Jamie." He smiled again, tapping the toy with his wand to watch it work again. "It's great, what you did."

"You think so?" He asked hopeful. He'd never been praised for something like that before. Actually, since he went to Hogwarts, he hadn't been praised much. His parents had been too busy reprimanding him.

"Yes, of course." He assure. "Why don't we talk more about later? We still have a shop to open." He suggested, and the boy nodded vehemently, readily rushing to the back room and getting started.

After that day, the two began spending an hour or so every day discussing not only that project but some others the twins had come up with and never had the chance to see through. James was really excited to find something he loved as much, if not more, than Quidditch, and was already planning to take some of the ideas to work on while he was at Hogwarts - after all, he needed some entertainment, right?

A week before he was due to return to school for his last year, George asked him to sit down for a chat, after they'd closed the doors and finished cleaning up the shop. The brunet was a little tense - he couldn't really recall a good, properly good, conversation he'd ever had with a grown up. The two of them walked to the basement in silence, and sat at their usual counter at the end of the room.

"What's up, uncle George?" He asked with a smile.

"I know you probably got this from your parents and your Head of House, but I'd like to talk to you about your plans for the future." He said seriously, and the boy sighed.

"Must we? I hate talking about that."

"Why?"

"Because! Because I never know what I want to do with my life, and then I have to keep listening to people telling me what to do."

"You know, when your dad asked me to let you work for me, he just wanted to instill in you some sense of responsibility. And I thought that was a great idea; from all I've heard about you, you most certainly could use it. But I think... I think we both got more than we were expecting out of this experience."

"What do you mean?" He asked, frowning.

"I don't know what your thoughts about this are, but I think you're really good at doing this." He explained, meaning the work they'd been doing together.

"Yeah, well, it's fun." He replied with a smile.

"I know that you, like Fred, really enjoy Quidditch. And from what I've heard from your parents about your school performance, that's the way you were aiming for, wasn't it?"

"I was never too sure, but I always figured that, if everything else failed, I could always try that. I mean, I'm good enough to make it into a team, so it never worried me."

"But now you've been banished from the team, isn't that right?"

He shrugged his shoulders, embarrassed. "Yeah." He replied quietly.

"Don't worry, I've been there and it's not so bad." He smiled. Ever since they started working together, James had been witnessing that more and more, and so had Sarah and Alicia. Nobody dared comment on it, for fear it would make the redhead return to what he used to me, but they were all very happy about the change. "But that's not my point." He replied, turning serious again. "What I'm trying to say is..." He sighed. "I think you're really good at this, and if you enjoy it as much as I think you do, you should really consider it as a career for after you graduate."

"Seriously?" He asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise. It was quite the compliment, coming from that particular uncle.

"Yes, well, consider it at least. I'm sure your parents wouldn't oppose you working here with me, if you'd like to."

"Yeah, that would be amazing!" He smiled, his whole face lighting up.

"But there's another side to this that you need to know, James."

"What?" He asked, frowning.

"It's not all fun and games here. It takes a lot of study to do what Fred and I did. I'm sure you've already noticed you had to read a lot to solve some of the problems we've encountered." The boy nodded. "And from where I'm standing, it doesn't seem like you're that dedicated to your education. You need to understand that what they teach you in school is important, and it'll make a lot of difference in whatever you choose to do with your life, be it work here with me or anything else."

"It's not that I don't care, uncle George, it's just that it's all so _boring_." He made a face, but the redhead didn't seem amused.

"Boring or not, it is important. And it'll take a lot of advanced magic to put some of your ideas into practice, and you can't do that if you haven't mastered the basic skills."

"But dad said you never finished school. And that you were always up to something and-"

"Did he tell you both Fred and I got Outstanding__in all out O.W.L.s?" He questioned, an eyebrow raised.

"No..." He muttered, embarrassed.

"Mom never properly congratulated us because we got her busy lecturing us on something..." He mused for a moment, remembering the occasion. Then he turned back to the brunet. "And I'm sure we would've on our N.E.W.T.s as well, hadn't things turned out the way they did. We didn't finish school because we were at war, James, not because we didn't care about our education." He replied severely, and the brunet cowered in his seat a little. "What I'm saying is, it's your last year at Hogwarts. There are plenty of things you've been forbidden to do, but that's not reason to quit school. Enjoy your last year there, and learn all you can, because out here in the real world, things aren't as easy as they are in there."

"I-I'll try, uncle George." He replied, slightly embarrassed.

"And you know what? I have a challenge for you. It's something Fred and I used to do, and I think it'll help you be more interested in school."

"What is it?' He asked, curious.

"For every new thing you learn, I want you to come up with either a new product for it, or an application for it for something we're working on. And I want you to note it all down for me." He smiled.

"I think I can do that."

"Good. I think you can as well, and you might just figure out how useful all that can be. "

They smiled at each other before focusing on the latest problem they'd encountered with the product they were working on. George feared all that talk - as usual - would go in through one ear and out through the other, but it really got stuck in James's head, and he spent long hours thinking about what the redhead had told him. And thinking back, he'd been studying a lot, and it hadn't felt like a burden as it always had. Maybe he just needed a little push after all.

"And James?" He called as they boy got ready to enter the fireplace.

"Yeah?"

"Be good to your brother. You're lucky you still have him." He said with a small nod, and the brunet smiled and nodded back before disappearing behind the flames.

James thought a lot about what his uncle said on those last few days of holiday, especially the part about his future career. It was true he'd never given school a second thought, he was more interested in his pranks and Quidditch, and when he'd been forced to choose what he'd study in his sixth year, he pretty much just took the classes he qualified for. But now things felt different for him, and he was decided to dedicate himself to learning - the way most students are for perhaps the first week of class, but he'd never been before.

On the day before they were due to catch the train, he'd been relieved from his position at the shop so he could pack properly, and short after lunch, his parents had him sit down on the study with Albus and Lily. Judging by the atmosphere over them, even before either said anything, he knew it was something serious and, more than that, something bad. His first instincts told him to run, or start making jokes, but instead he just sat there and listened.

"There is something very important your mom and I have to talk to you about." Harry said with a tired sigh. The forming dark rings around his eyes gave away he hadn't rested much, if at all, that night.

"The most important thing we want you to know is, we both love all three of you very, very much, and none of this is your fault."

James felt tempted to somehow make them rush to the end of the conversation, but he bit his tongue to stay quiet. He might not be fond of such approaches, but perhaps for the first time, he understood that, if that's how they chose to talk to them, there might be a reason behind it.

"Your mother and I have talked a lot, for a long time. And we've made a decision, which I'm sure you won't be happy about, but it needs to be made." He said firmly, looking from one child to the other before exchanging a quick look and nod with the redhead woman. "Your mom and I... We're getting a divorce."

"What? But, but, you can't!" James said alarmed, his untrained self-restraint proving to be very weak. "I mean, why?"

"We believe it's for the best, Jamie." Ginny assured, knowing the decision would have to come from both of them for the children to accept. "We have tried to make our relationship work, but we no longer can, and instead of insisting on it and keep having arguments and hurting you, we decided to go our separate ways." She explained.

"It doesn't change anything in our relationship with you." Harry said with a tentative smile. "We are still both your parents, and that's the most important thing."

"We haven't decided the details yet, and once you've gone to school, I'll be staying at the Burrow for a while, until I decide what to do. I'm sure I'll have everything sorted out by the time you come home for Christmas. But whatever you need, you just have to owl me, okay? All three of you, for anything." She smiled, leaning forward.

"I'll stay here, at least for now. And I'm here for you as well." Harry smiled.

James was having a hard time keeping his mouth closed, he was very likely shocked from the news. As he tried to absorb what he was hearing, his eyes went from one parent to the other, and then to his siblings sitting next to him. Albus seemed deep in thought, certainly as surprised and confused as himself, and Lily had tears in her eyes. He could only imagine how hard it must be for her, being so young. At least he was all grown up already, he thought.

"Lily, honey, it's not that bad." Ginny said with a sad smile, reaching one hand to the girl, who jumped up and ran to her lap. "Oh, don't worry, it's going to be okay, I promise." She whispered, caressing the girl's back in an effort to calm her down.

"What are you boys thinking?" Harry offered gently.

"I-I just can't believe it." Albus whispered. "I mean, I know you've been arguing a lot more lately and all, but... It never really crossed my mind something like this would happen, even though it was probably the most obvious solution."

"I just thought..." James began, trying to organize his thoughts. "I don't know what I thought. I guess I never really paid much attention. I always figured you'd be like grandpa and grandma, you know, together forever or something."

"But you do understand this has nothing to do with you? That we're not splitting up because of you, it's exclusively because of me and your mother?"

"I know dad." Albus nodded, still very quiet.

"I suppose." James agreed.

On Ginny's lap, Lily's tears were beginning to cease, and Harry caressed her head softly. "And you, love? You know this isn't your fault either, right?" He asked gently, and she nodded the best she could.

The five of them sat in silence for a long time after that, all of them absorbing the changes and doing their best to deal with the situation. James had a lot on his mind when he went to bed that night, and the more he thought about it, the more he remembered his parents arguing because of him and Albus. Because his brother had gone to Slytherin, because he was friends with Malfoy, because James wouldn't stop picking on them. And he couldn't help wondering if only he'd been more supportive of his brother, his mother might've accepted it better and not had been forced to take his side, thus causing further arguments with his father.

The morning of their departure felt very solemn, like it was the last thing they'd do as a family. Not even Lily was talking that morning, and they left Grimmauld Place and arrived at the station as scheduled, no delays, no running around the house, no typical chaos. It already felt like everything had changed.

Ginny didn't feel the need to lecture them as she always had; she didn't have the necessary energy and knew they could take care of themselves. She spent a long time wondering if they should've told the children sooner, to give them time to adjust to the imminent changes before going away to school but she had agreed with Harry it was for the best that way. At least school would provide them with first-rate distraction and avoid them having too much time to overanalyze the situation and blame themselves.

James was also quiet that day as he said goodbye to his parents, both his siblings having already boarded. And as he made his way into the scarlet train, George's advice came back to him. _Be good to your brother_, he'd said. And now his family was on the verge of breaking up, it felt more important than ever that he made amends with Albus. If only it was that simple, he thought, disappearing inside the train.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty Seven**

James knew making amends with his brother would be far easier said than done, but he wasn't expecting to feel so angry as he passed the cabin where his brother was sitting with his friends and, glancing inside, he caught sight of Scorpius. The thoughts flooded his mind as a river when the dam is broken: if only Malfoy had stayed away from his brother from the start, Albus would've been in Gryffindor, his parents wouldn't have argued so much, they wouldn't be splitting up, his life wouldn't have been turned upside down, there would never have been any threat to Albus's life-

He shook his head strongly, walking ahead. Unless he could somehow work those thoughts out of his head, he knew he'd never succeed in his mission: Malfoy was too much part of his brother's life for the boy satisfied with any other behavior towards the blond that not at least civil and respectful. And he began having serious doubts he could actually do that.

For most of the journey back to school, James gazed out the window, his mind on the latest project he'd been working with his uncle. It was so much easier to do that than to deal with the other situation pressing on his mind, and for once he wasn't aware of his friends joking around him, and didn't laugh when they jinxed (harmlessly) a second-year Slytherin that accidentally opened the door to their cabin.

Albus was also quieter in his own cabin, sitting with his head against Scorpius's shoulder and with the blond's arm around him. His mind was still in the conversation his parents had with him and his siblings, and remembering the interactions he witnessed between them. He probably should've seen it coming, it wasn't that hard to guess that, fighting the way they did, it was only a matter of time for them to split up.

He looked up as the blond laughed, shaking him as well, and smiled as their eyes met. He wanted to know what the boy had to say about the whole matter, but it was too private to discuss there - not to mention, Scorpius and the other boys were having fun, and that subject would undoubtedly kill the mood. No. He could wait until they retired for the day.

"What's wrong?" Scorpius asked at last.

Albus had been particularly distracted during the feast, and now they were finally in their dorm, cuddling on his bed, the only other sounds being the steady breathing of their sleeping roommates. He trusted his boyfriend completely, but still he hesitated before replying. A part of him knew that, as soon as he had said the words, there was no turning back. It would be irrevocably real.

"My parents... Are getting a divorce." He whispered.

"Al, I'm... I'm sorry."

The brunet shrugged lightly. "I suppose it's for the best. All they did was argue anyway. It was just a surprise. I'm still not sure what to think about it."

"Even if it was for the best, it doesn't make it any easier. In a way, everybody just assumes their parents will be together and around forever." He smiled, leaving a soft kiss on the top of the boy's head.

"I know." He replied quietly.

"Whatever you may think or James might've said, it's not your fault, Al." He reassured, fearing the reaction might've originated from some incriminating comment.

"James didn't say anything, don't worry." He lifted himself up in one elbow and smiled, knowing what the other boy was thinking. "And I don't blame myself. It'll just take a while getting used to it." He replied before leaving a deliberately slow and long kiss on Scorpius's lips, only parting when they were both breathless. It was good to know that hadn't changed.

"I'm right here to listen to you, if you want to talk." He smiled, watching the boy rest on his chest again.

"I know. Thank you for that."

"You're always welcome." He smiled, closing his eyes and tightening his grip on the brunet. They both fell asleep in just a few minutes.

During the first week of classes, at least, George's advice seemed to help a lot James's focus on class, and though it was evident that everybody, from his friends to the rest of the class to the whole of the staff, was surprised - and only some pleased, a group which didn't include his closest friends, as they didn't feel he was as fun as he used to be -, nobody dared to say anything. When he wasn't working on his ideas for new products, he tried his best to think of a way to work things out with Albus. And he had his first opportunity that Saturday, when both of them found themselves walking down the same hallway.

"Hey, Al! Can I, hm, talk to you for a moment?" He asked, rushing a few steps to catch up with the boy and his friend. From what he'd observed so far, it would be impossible to talk to one without the other being around.

"What do you want, James?" His tone was a little hostile, and the older boy picked on the knot of his tie, suddenly too tight around his neck, trying not to let it affect him.

"I just wanted to, you know, hm, apologize to you." His voice sounded lower than usual; it was evident the effort he had to put into spilling those words.

"Really?" Albus raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Yeah. For, you know, everything. All I said and did to you, and specially for, you know, the broom thing."

"_The broom thing_?" He repeated. "You mean that time you nearly killed me?"

"Yeah, that's what I mean." He replied, letting his eyes wander around the mostly-empty corridor, avoiding the green gems.

"And why should I believe you this time, James? What makes it any different from any of the other times you pretended to be sorry, just to try and split us up again?"

"I... Because I mean it this time?" He said tentatively, but it was clear the other boy wasn't buying it. "Because... Things happened. You know, with mom and dad and... well, I think it's important for us to stick together, you and me and Lily."

"That's very touching, James." He replied sarcastically. "Very well. If you want me to accept your apologies, you'll have to apologize to Scorp as well. As a matter of fact, you owe it to him much more than to me."

"You want me to..." He swallowed hard as his eyes moved to the blond boy, watching him whisper something to his brother.

"No, Scorp, he does need to apologize to you." He replied firmly before turning to the older boy. "So, James. What's it going to be?"

"I..." He hadn't considered that possibility. He hadn't prepared himself for that; he was certain simply ignoring Malfoy's existence - which would mean he wouldn't pick on the boy, or make jokes about him or pull pranks on him, and certainly Albus understood that - would be enough, but clearly that wasn't the case. "I won't do it." He replied at last, his control giving again. "If it wasn't for him, none of this would've happened. He's the one who should apologize." He concluded, regretting it almost instantly. That's not how it was supposed to go.

"And again we see where you stand. See you around, James." Albus replied, marching away, and he just stood there, watching the blond boy run to catch up. He'd screwed things up again.

"Al! Wait up!" Scorpius called, finally reaching the boy after a turn and grabbing the back of his robes to stop him. "Just calm down!" He urged the boy.

The brunet took a deep breath. "I don't know what's up with him." He said at last. "Did he honestly think he could fix everything with something as little as an apology? What did he expect? That suddenly he'd say some magical words and all he's done for the past four years would be gone, just like that?"

"Probably not, Al. But he certainly hoped it'd be a start. Perhaps you should-"

"He'll have to do better than that if he wants us to be friends again." He interrupted the blond, still a little angry, and the boy just smiled, putting his arms around him. It was too much for Albus: the tears he'd been trying to hold back finally ran down his cheeks.

"You really wanted to believe him, didn't you?" He asked softly, and felt the boy nod against his shoulder, and then his hand briefly letting go to wipe away the tears.

"He's done it so many times before, Scorp." He whispered, sniffing. "I want to believe he's really sorry, but I know, rationally, that he's probably just saying it. Perhaps because of what's going on with mom and dad, but still... Not because of what he's done."

"I know. Don't worry about it." He replied, letting go and cupping Albus's face between his hands, cleaning what remained of the tears with his thumbs before gently kissing him. "I'm sure that, if he means what he said, he'll find a way to make you believe it."

Albus smiled sadly, and nodded. "I hope so." He sniffed again, but his eyes were dry this time. "I really miss what we used to have, you know." He confessed, looking down.

"I know you do. And I think he has a point, you know." The green eyes darted up to meet with the silver ones. "With everything that's going on with your parents, you and him and Lily should really stick together."

"I suppose." He whispered, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands and picking up the backpack he'd dropped. "Anyway." He continued, trying to sound more cheerful. "We've got a lot to do. Frankie warned me this year would be worse than the others, but I didn't think the professors would start so soon." He joked, smiling, and the two headed for the Common Room.

"I know. Don't they realize how many classes we have? It's going to be nearly impossible to keep up when they all want exclusivity like this." He joked back.

It was over a month before James had another opportunity to talk to his brother. Even though they lived in the same castle, seventh year was proving much more difficult than any other before, and he was decided to keep his word and learn as much as he could that last year in school. And for most of his free time, it was too tempting to let his mind wander to the products for the shop, both his new ideas and old problematic products, for him to resist it. And in the few moments he thought about Albus, it was so hard to even come up with ideas for solutions that he usually gave up in no time.

But finally he found his brother sitting in a courtyard, a book opened on his lap and another one beside him on the bench, and Malfoy nowhere to be seen. As classes had finished for that day, he assumed the blond was at practice, and for the first time he wondered what his brother did while his _friend_ was down at the pitch. Because he knew from his own experience that it could be extremely time-consuming.

"Hey, Al. Mind if I sit?" He asked with a smile, pointing to the empty space on the bench, and the younger boy shrugged, not raising his eyes from the parchment in which he was writing. "How's, hm, how's everything?"

"Fine, James." He replied, slightly annoyed, still focus on his studies.

"You think, hm, that we could talk for a bit?" He asked, shifting his position uncomfortably. He didn't know it could be so hard to talk to his own brother.

"Are you going to tell me you're sorry again and then blame Scorp for everything?" He asked, finally looking up, resting the objects on his lap over the other book.

"I... No. I'm just going to apologize this time." He replied with a tentative smile.

"Again, why should I believe you? And the same condition still applies, I'll only accept it when you apologize to Scorp." He said strictly.

James sighed. "I know. Listen, Al, I've done a lot of... Not very nice things to you in the past, especially since you started school." He begun, his eyes on his hands nervously playing with each other. He'd never been one for words. "And to Malfoy." He added quickly as he heard a protest coming from the other boy. "I know I should've been more supportive of you, for being in Slytherin, and trusted you could choose your own friends and... that you know what you're doing with that boy." He frowned slightly. If it was hard for him to accept they were friends, just the thought of what else they might be up to sent shivers through his body. "I'm sorry I haven't. I'm sorry I got so mad I almost ended up killing you, and that I let that anger become an attempt to kill Malfoy. I know it's not a lot coming from me, but swear to you I've changed." Then he smiled again, looking up. "A little at least."

Albus wanted desperately to believe him, but it was still much too fresh in his memory what happened the last time he had. Though it was true he hadn't heard about a single detention for his brother yet, and he didn't see him picking on anyone anymore. But perhaps that was because of the threat of expulsion still hanging over his head.

"Look, I..." James continued, trying to think of what else to say. He was surprised to find out how much it hurt him to know he'd been so bad that his own brother couldn't believe his words. "I'll try harder from here on, okay? I mean, now mom and dad are splitting up, if we don't stick together, our family will fall apart. I'm sure you can see that too, can't you?" He waited for the other boy to nod. "You're my brother, and though it may not look much like it, I love you, Al." He avoided to look at the younger boy as he said that, embarrassed, and missed his eyebrows arching in surprise, not at the facts, but at the confession. "You know I don't like Malfoy, but I guess-"

"You don't have to like him, James." He interrupted the boy, his expression neutral again. "But you do have to respect him, and be civil to him. He _is_ my best friend, and he _is_ my boyfriend."

"I-I know." He replied quietly. It finally felt like they were progressing, and he was afraid of saying the wrong thing and ruining it again.

"You still have to apologize to Scorp, James. I'm not taking that back."

"Okay." He said with a sigh. At least his brother didn't give him a time limit, so he could think through just how he planned to do that. "But apart from that, then... We're good?"

"We'll see about it after you've done it." He replied, picking up his book and parchment.

"Hey, hm... Have you talked to Lily lately?"

"No, why?" He asked with a frown, looking up again.

"I think she's not taking it too well. I haven't seen her around much, but from what I have... She doesn't look quite the same."

"Have you talked to her?"

James shook his head. "Haven't had the chance. You don't think... She's blaming herself for what happened at home, do you?"

"I hope not. Maybe we both should talk to her?" He suggested.

"I guess it'd be a good idea. I'll see if I can get a hold of her, and I'll let you know." Albus nodded. "See you around, then." He said as he stood up.

"Yeah. And don't forget to apologize to Scorp."

He smiled embarrassedly. "I won't."

It wasn't too easy to get Lily to agree to talk to them - she always claimed she was busy (and they always thought, wait until you're our age) or found some other excuse not to. But finally, as the wind started to change and weather grew colder, they decided upon a Sunday afternoon and dragged her away from her friends and into some secret room James knew on that floor. He seemed to know secret rooms at every turn - supposedly, where he'd hide not to be caught for his pranks.

"Okay, spill it." The older boy said, once the three had cleaned the dust off some chairs in an unused classroom and sat in a triangle.

"I should be the one to say that." She complained.

"Listen, Lily, James and I have been talking-"

"You have?" She raised her eyebrows, surprised. "Now that's news."

"Yeah, well, we have, and he mentioned you haven't been the same since mom and dad told us they were splitting up." Albus continued.

"Well, I could say the same about you, since apparently you're _talking_ to one another..." She mumbled.

"We're worried about you, Lil." James insisted. "After everything that's been happening in our family, we were afraid you wouldn't be sure you could talk to us."

"Well, either way, I don't want to. May I go now?"

"No. Not until you tell us what's going on." The older boy said decisively, and the girl rolled her eyes.

"Why do you care anyway?"

"Because we care about you, Lily." Albus replied patiently. "We're your brothers, we love you."

"Some way of showing."

"What do you mean?" James raised an eyebrow, his patience already giving.

"Well, if you really cared, you wouldn't have been arguing so much, would you? And then mom and dad wouldn't have to split up on your account." She complained angrily, standing up.

"Wh- You're blaming _us_ that they're splitting up?" James asked, disbelieving. " Haven't you heard them? This is not our fault, any of us!"

"Oh, get over yourself, James!" She rolled her eyes. "Just because you were never paying any attention, it doesn't mean you're not responsible! Have you got any idea how often they began fighting after Al went to Slytherin? And then you started pulling pranks and stuff, and they each tried to defend one of you. You weren't home to hear it, but I was!" Her tone was going higher and higher up in a mix of anger and frustration.

"Lily, that's not true." Albus said quietly. "Maybe we were the excuses for their fighting, but I was there too, I could see it too. And they weren't getting along regardless of James and I."

"T-That's not true." She mumbled as she sat back down, obviously wanting to believe that, if her brothers hadn't given them an excuse, they'd still be happily married and she'd still have all her family living under one roof.

"It is." The younger boy continued quietly. "I know you don't like it. We don't either. But it's their decision, and we have to accept it. I'm sure you'll understand it when you start seeing someone, Lily. You'll see that unless you both want to be together, there's no point in insisting."

"Haven't you ever stopped being friends with anyone?" James offered with a sad smile. "When for whatever reason you fight, and then none of you is interested in making things go back to what they used to be? Because you just know it's not worth it, that you weren't that good to start with?"

She shook her head. "I'm still friends with everybody I met, thank you very much."

"Lucky you, then." He replied, still smiling.

"Look, Lily, I understand that you're upset, angry even." Albus continued. "But it's not going to change their decision, blaming yourself, or us or anybody. And now that they've split up, it's important for the three of us to stick together, can't you see that?"

She just looked angrily at them.

"I know it's not easy. But they're still mom and dad, and they still love us just as much as they always have." Albus reassured her, reaching out a hand to rest over hers.

"I-I suppose." She mumbled at last, and the other two smiled.

"Good, then. Friends again?" James offered.

"Yeah, okay." She smiled tentatively. "But you two will stop fighting as well, right? You're not going to make me pick sides as well, will you?"

"No, Lily, don't worry about it." The older boy replied, standing up and ruffling her hair, gaining a frown.

"And if there's ever anything you need, just ask us, okay, Lily?" Albus offered smiling, also standing, but not making the same mistake as his brother.

"I know." She replied quietly.

"Are we done here, then? 'Cause I've got lots to study-" He interrupted himself as he saw the other two drop their jaws. "What? I figured I might as well make the most of my last year, right?"

Albus and Lily looked at each other in disbelieve, but decided not to say anything as a small smile spread through their lips.

"Y-You're right, James." Albus agreed as the three made their way to the door. "I also have lots to study this year. I didn't know it could be so hard." He smiled.

"Wait until you get to last year, Al." The other boy half-joked, and the younger brunet stuck his tongue out, making them laugh as they walked out.

James was in a good mood as he walked to the Gryffindor Tower. One of his problems was solved.

Then he remembered.

An even bigger one awaited.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty Eight**

Albus's anxiety grew as the days went by and they heard nothing of James. It felt so nice to finally be getting along with his brother again; he was afraid the older boy would let his pride (and stupidity, in his opinion) get the best of him again and ruin everything for his incapability of accepting Scorpius. Because he knew that, if it came down to it, he'd choose to be with his boyfriend, hard as the decision might be. And it was certain: he already had before.

He'd also been paying more attention to Lily, and just a few days after they'd talked, he could already see the difference in her behavior: she was talking more (and it made him feel a little sorry for her friends, as he knew from experience the girl could babble for hours nonstop), smiling more, and even greeting him when they walked by each other on the corridors, which so far she'd been fiercely avoiding. Scorpius was also very pleased for his boyfriend; he couldn't help feeling a little guilty himself for the friction he'd caused in the Potter family.

Albus and Scorpius were sitting under a tree on a Saturday afternoon, books opened around them, and the brunet lying on the blond's legs. They were studying for the upcoming midterms, and though they were still waiting for the first snow of the season, the cold weather prevented most students from spending time outside. So it was surprising for both of them to see James walking their way, alone, hands tucked inside his front pockets. They watched him approach, eyes wandering all over the grounds and avoiding them, until he reached his destination.

"Studying a lot?" He asked, sitting in front of them.

"Nothing out of the usual." Albus replied, sitting up and putting the book away.

"I always thought one of you would end up Prefect." He gave a tentative smile.

"Scorp's too busy with Quidditch, and it's not really my style." The younger brunet shrugged lightly. "Thales always had the best profile for that position."

"He's doing a great job, too." The blond smiled.

"Yeah? Good, hm, that's good." He replied quietly.

"May I help you, James?" Albus asked after a couple of minutes, raising an eyebrow.

"I, hm, you know, just wanted to, you know..." He began, unsure.

"Wanted to what, James?" The younger brunet insisted.

"Apologize." He whispered, and the other two had to lean forward a little to hear what he was saying. "To, hm, Malfoy, for, well, everything." His face was as red as Albus had never seen, making the apology a lot more legitimate.

"What was that? I didn't hear what you said." Albus teased, gaining an elbow poke from the blond and giggling a little.

"I said I'm sorry, okay?" He said a little louder, vexed. "I screwed up. Big time. Did a lot of things I shouldn't have done to you Malfoy, I see that now. Okay? And I won't do it anymore."

"What things, James?" The younger Potter boy insisted. "I want to know you know exactly what you did, so you won't do it again."

"Must I?" He made a face, but his brother remained serious while noddeding curtly. He sighed. "I'm sorry for calling you names, for pulling pranks on you, for cursing your broom and for blaming you for the problems I was having with Albus, and what was happening between my parents." He tried to sound bored as he said it, but wasn't as successful as he'd hoped. He then looked back to his brother. "There you go. Enough yet?"

Albus nodded, smiling. "Yes, James."

"And, hm, we're good as well, right?" He asked, turning to the blond.

"It's okay, James." Scorpius smiled. "It's water under the bridge now."

"Yeah." The older boy mumbled back. After a moment, he looked at his brother. "So you forgive me now?"

Albus teased him for long moments, scrutinizing him, until the blond poked him again and he smiled. "Yeah, sure. And you won't try anything funny again, are you?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.

"No. Cross my heart." He replied solemnly, gesturing with his right index finger over his chest.

"Good."

The three of them remained in silence for several minutes, none of them knowing what to say next, and the two younger boys eager to get back to what they were doing.

"And this is it?" He asked suspiciously and a little hesitant; it'd been too easy.

"What was what?" Albus frowned for a moment, trying to follow his brother's train of thought.

"Uh, you know." He replied, a little embarrassed. "Forgiving me."

"Well, why shouldn't it be? You seem to care enough about it to apologize to Scorp, and you haven't done anything to either of us, not once called us any name or made any funny remark, so why should I complicate it?"

"I don't know. I just thought, you know, that it would be harder." He seemed to think for a moment. "Don't you want, you know, revenge, or payback or something?"

"You didn't hurt anyone." Albus replied. "Well, not seriously anyway. And doing to you what you did to us won't change the past. So what's the point?"

"Don't know. I'd want payback if I were you." He said quietly and shrugged, looking away from them, and they fell into a somewhat uncomfortable silence again.

"You're not that bad after all." James said at last, looking at Scorpius with a tentative smile.

"You know, if you'd bothered to give me a chance, you would've seen I just want the best for Al." He replied seriously. "I'm sorry if I caused any friction in your family, but it was never my intention."

"I-I know." He said quietly, looking down. "I'm sorry for that."

"So, hm, is there, you know, anything else you want?" Albus asked a few minutes later.

"No, hm, that was, you know, pretty much it." He smiled, finally getting the hint and standing up. "I'll, hm, let you get back to your studies, then."

"See you around." Albus nodded, and as soon as the boy had turned around, he rest his head on Scorpius's thighs again, smiling at the contact.

"Well, that went well, right?" The blond commented, smiling back.

"Better than I expected, I guess. But he did take his time."

"Actually, I think he went pretty fast from cursing my broom to actually apologizing to me." The blond half-joked.

"Considering how fast he went from being my big brother to yelling at me - us -, I'd say it was surprisingly slow."

"Old habits die hard, I suppose." He smiled, leaning in for a kiss. "He's very proud and very stubborn, we couldn't expect it any other way."

"I guess." He agreed, smiling and putting the book he'd picked up, still closed, on the ground.

"You can be very similar to him, you know." He teased, watching the boy get up and move closer to him.

"Can I?" He teased back, pulling the textbook out of the blond's hands.

"I'll say." He swallowed hard, blushing slightly in anticipation, as the brunet moved closer and closer to him.

Their eyes were still on each other's when their noses rubbed together, and then the blond was forced to close his, because he couldn't keep the focus at such a short distance. Almost immediately, his other senses heightened, and he was very aware of the brunet's warm breath lightly caressing his skin, the sound of his tongue licking his lips in anticipation, the perfume he'd recognize in a crowd without a second though. His own lips parted, longing for contact, and the seconds seemed to drag as Albus teased his boyfriend, touching him so lightly it was hard to tell if they were touching at all.

Then finally the kiss came, slow and deliberated, sucking on one lip, then the other, holding Scorpius's lower lip between his teeth and running his tongue across it, a soft smile forming as the blond moaned helplessly. Unable to contain himself any longer, Albus captured the other boy's mouth properly, letting their tongues meet and tasting him, growing hungrier by the second.

After a couple of minutes with only lips touching, Scorpius reached a hand up, cupping Albus's face and pulling him closer. In response, the brunet pulled the other boy gently, one hand resting on his nape, as he slowly leaned forward so they ended up lying on the ground. They were smiling as they broke the kiss and their eyes met again, and then Albus's expression acquired a naughty shade that surprised the blond, making him blush, though it wasn't noticeable behind his already flustered cheeks.

Climbing on the boy, one knee on each side of his waist, the brunet lowered himself again, resuming the kissing while letting one hand down the boy's chest, over his robes. After a few minutes, he migrated to his neck, kissing his way down to the base and leaving a wet trail up to his ear, drawing moans from the boy as he sucked his earlobe gently.

Scorpius, who'd been rather motionless up until that moment, let one of his hands run down the boy's back, reaching his bottom and making him let out a surprised gasp as he grabbed it not too gently, while his other hand disappeared behind the dark brown mess that configured Albus's hair, pulling the boy against himself, until the pressure made the brunet drop over him, the arm he'd been supporting himself on giving in. Scorpius didn't know it could feel so good to have someone lie over him, and the first indicators of interest were beginning to show.

Albus headed downwards, kissing the base of the blond's neck and the skin exposed around it, until Scorpius pulled him back up, crashing their lips together and, with a sudden movement, inverting their positions. It was his turn to flash a naughty smile as he began to explore the exposed skin of the boy's neck, while one hand reached up for the first button on his robes. The moans the brunet tried to contain vibrated on his neck, going through to the blond and down his body.

The robes were already gone and Scorpius was tackling the boy's jumper when Albus pushed him away, sitting up and avoiding his eyes.

"What is it?" The blond asked, worried, climbing off the boy who immediately pulled his knees against his chest.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"What happened?" He asked softly, one hand resting on the other boy's shoulder, getting attention and making their eyes meet.

"I... got scared." His voice was so low Scorpius wasn't sure he had spoken at all.

"Was it... Something I did?"

Albus shook his head. "I just... I don't know what happened. I froze, and then..." He let his voice die, his eyes getting lost in the landscape again.

The blond smiled and left a gentle peck on the boy's cheek. "It's okay. If we were going too fast, we can slow down. We don't have to do anything you don't want to." He said seriously.

Albus smiled and kissed him on the lips. "I want to, Scorp. I really do. It's just..."

"We don't have to do anything you're not ready for either." He smiled.

Albus nodded, letting go of his knees and lying back on the other boy's lap. "Can we... Just stay here like this for a while?"

"Sure, Al." He replied, letting one hand rest on the brunet's head and playing with his hair.

For the next few days, though they didn't discuss the matter any further, there was something about Albus's general attitude towards the blond that screamed an apology. They didn't have much free time to think about it during the week, but as Saturday came and the students were given permission to go to Hogsmeade, a plan began forming in Scorpius's head. Sometimes the only way to get over a failed attempt (not that he considered it one, but apparently the brunet did) was to try again and succeed.

Decided to make the most out of their day out, Scorpius woke surprisingly early that morning, and left the brunet sleeping in his bed as he made his way to the school kitchen. Actually, it was early for the boys' standards, as most students had already left the castle, and everything was surprisingly quiet as he reached the fruit portrait and tickled the pears to open the door. After a few minutes insisting with the elves, he conjured a small basket and they filled it with sandwiches, fruits, a few treats and two bottles of pumpkin juice for each of them. He then shrunk the container and safely put it away in a pocket before returning to his dorm.

"Where were you?" The brunet asked from the bed, his voice lazy and sleepy.

Scorpius giggled. "Last-minute arrangements." He replied, walking to the boy who watched him through half-closed lids. Still smiling, he reached the bed and playfully hit the foot nearest to him. "Come on. Time to go to Hogsmeade."

"Hogsmeade?" He raised an eyebrow, lazily sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "We still have loads of homework to do, Scorp."

"So? We'll do that later." He replied distractedly, going though the brunet's suitcase and selecting him a fresh set of clothes, leaving them on the edge of the bed.

"Besides, there's nothing interesting to do there."

"Stop being a spoilsport and get changed."

Albus opened his mouth to protest, but the other boy didn't seem to be joking, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrows raised, so he silently took the clothes from the bed and headed to bathroom dragging his feet. Five minutes later, he was out, looking much more refreshed and in a much better mood. Scorpius pulled him closer as soon as he was within reach, one hand on his waist and the other cupping his cheek, and left a soft kiss on his lips.

"Ready?"

Albus nodded and they left the dungeons, hand in hand, towards the small village near the school. They walked down the main street, crowded with people, and managed to squeeze into Honeydukes, where the blond made a small selection of their favorite treats before they walked out. Zonko's crossed their minds, but it was even more packed, and they didn't want anything from there anyway.

"Want to have lunch at the Three Broomsticks? It's probably packed, and we'll have to wait forever to get a table, but-" He stopped talking when he noticed Scorpius shaking his head, and let the boy pull him by the hand towards the most isolated side of the village - the Shrieking Shack. "What are you doing?" He asked, a couple of minutes later. "I'm starving, Scorp, I haven't had breakfast yet."

"Just a little longer." He replied smiling as they continued walking.

Though the sun was shining bright in the sky, the wind was already very cold, and Albus grabbed the blond's arm, walking closer to him, to warm up. Scorpius let him, though they both knew the brunet wasn't actually cold - it was a good enough excuse, and he'd never complain about being close to the boy. They finally spotted the scarce trees still standing in the house's front yard and the blond guided them to one of them.

He then pulled his wand out of his pocket and conjured a silver and green plead blanket to put on the floor so they could sit, and pulled the tiny basked out, touching it with the tip of the wand and watching Albus's smile grow as he realized what was happening. They sat there and ate, fed one another, laughed and talked for nearly two hours before they became sleepy and the brunet lay his head on Scorpius's stomach and they both napped for a while.

When they woke up, the sun was setting, turning everything around them a beautiful golden-orange, and they decided to return to the castle while they knew the way there was still quiet and not frantic with students rushing to meet the curfew. When they arrived back at their dorm, it was still empty, and Scorpius set out to the second part of his plan.

He closed the door and cast a spell over it, so the other two boys would be kept away. Though it wasn't all too fair with Thales and Lynus, he was sure they would both thank him when they found out what they'd been up to in that room, that is, if they even tried to get in for the next hour or so. Or more.

Scorpius didn't miss the smiled that spread through the brunet's face as the boy watched him move, and he slowly walked to where his boyfriend was standing before kissing him passionately. They kissed in the middle of the room for long minutes before clumsily walking towards Albus's bed, and the brunet fell backwards when the back of his knees hit the edge of the bed, making them both laugh as they climbed up higher in the bed. Sitting side by side, they resumed the kissing, hands roaming from their faces to the hair, chest and back, over their clothes, as the temperature rose and their cheeks became flustered.

"I'm going to take your coat off now." Scorpius whispered so seductively the other boy wasn't sure what was being said; he was only aware of the shivers running down his spine and the hot, wet mouth playing on his skin.

It was easier to feel the blond's hands on his chest now his shirt was the only obstacle between their skins, and he wasn't even aware of his own hands mimicking the movement. Scorpius's eager hands found nipples already begging to play along, and the soft pressure he applied in that bundle of nerves made the brunet's mind completely foggy: he couldn't think anymore, he couldn't articulate words, the only sound coming from his lips were strangled moans that couldn't be held back.

For long minutes, they did nothing but that, mouths alternating between one another's and the rest of the exposed skin, hands travelling up and down, all too aware of the roughness of the fabrics still covering their bodies.

After capturing an earlobe and sucking and gently biting it, Scorpius whispered again. "I'll take off your shirt now."

A fain moan was all he got in return as his hands travelled to the hem of the said shirt.

He was afraid the boy would freeze again, thus ruining the purpose of the exercise, so he figured letting him know in advance what was about to happen would be a good idea. But who was he kidding? It was no longer an exercise; he was doing it for Albus as much as for himself, trying to calm the fire that always burned inside him when the brunet was around.

They both felt the surge of electricity that assaulted their bodies when skin touched skin, and the already sensitive nipples gained even more attention, not only from the skilled fingers but also a hungry mouth. Luckily Scorpius had the presence of spirit to cast privacy and silencing spells over the room, or else they'd be in big trouble, as the volume of the moans began increasing.

He'd planned to stop there - after all, the point he wanted to make was that Albus could go that far, so there was nothing to feel guilty for or ashamed of -, but it seemed an impossible task . Though he tried to push the thoughts away, he _knew_ things would only get more pleasurable if they went on, and the need to discover how his fantasies compared to reality grew.

"Scorp?" The brunet called, raising himself on his elbows.

Caught in his own internal struggle, he'd stopped giving the boy any attention. It seemed he'd succeeded in his plan after all.

"Everything okay?" The boy insisted, his face very flustered and his eyes still darkened with lust.

As he moved to a more comfortable position, Scorpius noticed those weren't the only signs of the boy's interest. "I just, hm, you know..." He began, his mind blurry from the previous activity. "See? Nothing to feel guilty about or apologize for." He completed, still struggling a little with his thoughts.

"Point proven." He was still panting a bit. "But you're not seriously going to leave me like this, are you?"

Scorpius's smile grew naughtily. "You want me to continue?" The brunet just nodded. Then he turned serious. "Are you sure?"

Albus's lips crashing against his were all the answer he needed.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty Nine**

After being together that day, it was even harder for the boys to stay apart from each other. Never have dark corners and broom closets seem more vital to them - and more than a few times, they found other couples who thought the same. It was hard to take a break from their "parallel activities" during the two weeks the exams lasted, but both boys had their priorities in order and somehow managed it. Perhaps it helped to know they'd have all the time in the world once they were done, and after they returned home for the holidays.

Finally it was time to go home, and none of the Potter kids really knew what to expect from the holiday. From the scarce letters they still remembered to write, there wasn't much they could gather: they knew Ginny had moved out, but other than that, they were completely in the dark. And though they didn't like to admit it, all three of them were a little hesitant to see how things were like back at home.

It was a quiet ride for all of them. James seemed oblivious of his friends talking and laughing around him, his mind floating between how he'd handle giving both parents enough attention (and it made him feel much more grown up than he actually was to ponder over such matters) and all the novelties he couldn't wait to discuss with his uncle George. Lily was also lost in thought, and though her friends asked her what was wrong a million times, she'd only smiled in return before looking out the window again. She was the only one among them whose parents had split up, and she didn't think they'd understand what she was going through.

Albus was perhaps the one behaving most naturally, or perhaps that impression had something to do with Scorpius's support, as the boy was talking more than usually and covering up for his boyfriend. He knew the brunet didn't want to discuss it with anybody, at least not until he knew for certain how things were. They were both aware the subject couldn't be avoided forever.

After what seemed like the longest journey to date, even though it was just as long (or short) as it always was, the Hogwarts Express arrived at King's Cross, and in no time all the students rushed out, cramming the doors and corridors. Albus sensibly decided to wait a few minutes so he wasn't run over by anyone, and the blond boy willingly waited with him.

"Are you okay?" He asked at last, once the other kids they were sharing the cabin with had left.

"I'm alright." Albus replied with a half-smile. "I'm sure I'm picturing it in my head a lot worse than it actually is. I mean, how bad can it be? So now they each have their own place, so what? It could be a lot worse."

"You know you don't have to feel pressured to please any of them, right? No matter what you do, they won't get back together unless they want to."

"I know, Scorp. Don't worry." He replied smiling before kissing the boy slowly. He'd miss having him around all the time. "I don't think I'll come to your place tomorrow, though."

"Why not?" He frowned. It was what they always did.

"I think I should spend a day with each of them. Then I'll see how it goes."

"I suppose you're right." He smiled. "I'll miss you, though."

"Not more than I'll miss you." He replied, looking serious, before they both started laughing.

"That was so corny, Al."

"Well, you started it." The brunet defended himself.

"Well, maybe then we should try other ways of communicating." He suggested in a low voice, sending shivers through Albus's body.

He smiled. "You wish." He replied teasingly, kissing the boy passionately. After a few minutes, hands began roaming, but instead of going along with it, Albus stood up, his face slightly flushed. "We can't do this right now, Scorp. Our parents will worry, and other kids could see us." He explained sensibly at the blond's disappointed expression.

"I suppose you're right." He agreed with a slight nod, also standing up. "We better get going, then."

Though Albus nodded, neither of them moved, their eyes locked on each other. Then the blond smiled, leaning forward for a slow and long kiss, before pulling his boyfriend out the door.

"Off we go, then. Home."

* * *

Breaking up with Ginny was more troublesome than Harry had anticipated. The legal side of it wasn't too bad: he had plenty of friends in the Ministry who sped things up for him - all perfectly legal, just a little faster than usual -, and his now ex-wife was more than willing to grant him the divorce. There wasn't even a discussion of how their belongings would be split: they each knew what belonged to whom, and both had saved enough money and had a successful enough career to fare very well on their own two feet.

But the family matters were much more complicated. The Weasleys had been his family ever since he met Molly and the kids on platform 9 and 3/4, on his first ride to Hogwarts, and apart from some occasional friction, especially with Ron, they'd always gotten along extremely well. But now he'd messed with their baby child, and they'd been putting up a show for so long nobody was willing to believe him when he said they were better off apart. All they saw were Ginny's constant tears during the couple of weeks she spent at the Burrow, and her having to look for a place of her own while he tried to go on with his life as if nothing happened.

The first ones to lecture him were, of course, Ron and Hermione, the day after the redhead moved out. They offered to take him out for lunch, and the proceeded to question him and try to make him "see reason", as they called it. He knew he wouldn't escape that conversation, but he honestly thought he'd have more patience for it, coming from his two best friends. It turned out he didn't when, ten minutes after they sat down, he left the restaurant without even having eaten. Why was it so hard for them to accept he could make his own decisions, without the need to consult them or discuss anything with anyone else?

After them came the other siblings. Percy still had a job at the Ministry, and stopped by his office that same afternoon to express his dissatisfaction over the matter, and left with a threat should he ever change his mind and come near Ginny again. He would've yelled the man out of the office, but there were too many people around, and after all, he wasn't really the scandal kind of guy. But he couldn't deny the strong urge to punch the redhead that assaulted him during those five minutes, and the hole in his wall was proof of it.

Harry didn't want to see other Weasleys, especially so early, because he knew they wouldn't say anything he hadn't heard before, and most importantly, anything he wanted to hear or that would help him in any way. He began spending more and more time at home, when he wasn't working, and it felt terribly lonely, even more than before. Perhaps because he knew it was now definitive. So he began what he called the operation clean-up, and spent as long as he could every day manually cleaning the place, throwing away old stuff and rearranging the furniture. The physical effort was good for him.

But he couldn't avoid the others forever, and one day he decided to take a walk down Diagon Alley, browsing the shops for ideas for the children's Christmas presents, he ran into Bill, and the two of them sat at Fortescue's parlor to talk. It wasn't as terrible as it could've been, he thought, as he walked away, and the man only wanted to know why he'd done it when they seemed so well together, and make sure it'd been a mutual decision. George had joined them halfway down the conversation, and to Harry's surprise, half of what came out of his mouth were all kinds of jokes. Of course the conversation couldn't end without a threat of some sort, but he was feeling much better to know not all of them considered him the sole responsible for "ruining Ginny's life", as Percy put it.

After talking to them, Harry decided he needed to talk to Arthur and Molly; they deserved some kind of explanation, he owed them that much. So he sent them an owl and they decided he'd come over for tea on Sunday (the first suggestion was Saturday, but that was the day he met with Snape, and he wasn't willing to trade one for the other), and they could talk then.

It was a little awkward arriving at the Burrow for the first time since everything happened. The place looked exactly the same as it always had, the only thing that changed was that now there were barely any noises if not for the nature outside. He heard Arthur call him from the kitchen, and he took a deep breath before entering the room, to find the two adults sitting at the table, already sipping their cups.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley." He said with a slight nod, sitting where the third cup stood empty.

"Afternoon, Harry." Arthur replied, and they stayed quiet for a few moments, while Harry helped himself to the tea. He didn't know what to say, and at least that gave him something to do. "How, hm, how are you doing?"

"I'm, I'm okay, Mr. Weasley." He replied quietly, trying to smile. "And you?"

"As well as we could be." The man replied, and they both sipped from their cups to avoid saying anything else. "So, hm, Harry, there's some things we'd like to talk to you about."

"I-I know."

"Ginny has told us-"

"That you left her for someone else." Molly interrupted her husband, anger dripping from her words. "How could you do that, Harry? After all you've been through, how could you leave her for some... some..."

"Molly, please. We agreed we wouldn't-"

"No, Arthur. He didn't even have the decency of telling her who it is, he's going to make her find out when it appears on the cover of the Prophet! After everything we did for him, how could he do that?"

"Mrs. Weasley, it's not exactly like that." He began, trying to calm the woman down. "I-I didn't leave Ginny to be with anyone. As a matter of fact, I'm not even seeing anyone right now, not even after we split up. And we both decided to get a divorce, because we both knew the relationship wasn't working anymore. Trust me, it would only hurt her more if we stayed together, pretending to care for each other."

"So after all that, you don't even care for her? Do you even care for any of us? Why did you even bother coming here, then?"

Harry sighed, slightly upset at his own choice of words. "Mrs. Weasley, I have always loved you all as a family, and I always will. All of you, even Ginny. But I don't... Love her as a husband should love his wife. And it wasn't fair of me to keep pretending I did, because we both know she deserves better than that."

"So you left her because you're such a good person?" She asked sarcastically.

"I left her because it was the best for us both." He stated firmly.

"Harry, are you sure that was the best decision? Did you think properly about that?" Arthur asked before his wife could make any more accusations.

"I am sure, Mr. Weasley. I know it's not easy, to any of us, but at least now she's free to look for someone who'll love her as she deserves." The older man nodded with an understanding smile.

"And it'll leave you free to chase whoever it is that you're after, won't it?" Molly replied.

"With all the due respect, Mrs. Weasley, what I do with my personal life from here on is my business. I'd love nothing more to be able to keep calling you my family, but if you can't accept my decisions, I'm willing to pay the price for them. I will not live a lie just to please others." His tone wasn't authoritative or angry, but it was very firm, and not even Molly could find arguments to counter him. As upset as she might be, he was still a son for her, and part of her couldn't help wanting to comfort him.

"And what will you do with your life now, Harry?" Arthur asked, trying to ease the tension created.

"I don't know. I do know I have a job to do, and children to raise. And I'll take it from there." He replied softly, a faint smile showing on his lips.

He nodded. "Have you... I suppose it's personal, and it's still quite some time until the kids return from school, but have you discusses the arrangements concerning the children?"

"I don't suppose there's much to arrange, to be honest. James is an adult, and he can decide for himself. Albus is also old enough to know what he wants to do with his life. And Lily... Well, I suppose the fair thing to do would be to have her spend half her time with each of us. We haven't discussed it yet, but I hope Ginny feels the same about it. We shouldn't take out our problems on them."

Arthur nodded again.

"And you think having their parents split us is what's best for them? That it's not taking your problems out on them?"

"It's best for them to have us separated but happy than have us together and fighting all the time. It's not easy, but they're good kids and they understand it's got nothing to do with them. And no matter what happens between Ginny and me, they are still our children, and we'll be right here for whatever they need."

"I understand, Harry." Arthur said, looking severely at his wife, who seemed about to protest again, but chose not to.

For the next several minutes, all three of them sat uncomfortably in the kitchen, sipping their tea that was already growing cold. Finally, Harry stood up, leaving his cup in the sink as he said, "I think I better go now."

"It was nice to talk to you, Harry." Arthur replied, also standing up. "I'll walk you to the fireplace."

Harry nodded, and the two men silently walked back to the living room and, still in silence, the brunet disappeared behind the green flames, arriving instantly in his own office at Grimmauld Place. The conversation had drained more of his energy than he thought it would, and he let himself fall on the nearest couch, falling asleep within minutes. When he woke up again, his stomach was raging, as it was already past dinner time, and he fixed himself a sandwich before going to bed.

If things with the Weasley weren't going as well as one could hope for - other than for legal business, he hadn't heard a single word from Ginny for well over a month since it all started, and neither Ron nor Hermione seemed interested in talking to him or keeping him company for anything -, on the other hand, things seemed to be progressing well with Snape. Well, as well as they could, as the man was almost as quiet as he was when their meetings began, and showed no sign of - anything at all. And yet Harry returned to Hogwarts religiously every week to babble on about his life and spend time with the man he couldn't get out of his mind. Especially after his best friends turned their backs on him, that new friendship was proving most valuable to him, and he couldn't help the feelings growing on his chest, even though he knew they were probably one-sided. It didn't matter. He felt good as he hadn't in a long, long time.

About a month before the kids were due to return home, Harry sent an owl to Ginny, asking for a meeting. They decided upon the Leaky Caldron, as it seemed a neutral enough place, and as they knew the owners, getting some privacy wouldn't be too hard. They sat in silence in a vacant bedroom, both of them having cast the spells they thought were appropriate, waiting for the other to say something. The brunet was surprised at how uncomfortable he could feel just being in the same room as the redhead with whom he'd been married for over twenty years.

"So, what do you want?" Ginny finally asked, sounding impatient.

"Hm, you know, I just wanted to talk to you." She raised an eyebrow. "About the kids." He complemented almost immediately.

"What about them?"

"I just thought that we should have some sort of agreement about them, for when they come for the holidays."

"What do you propose?"

"I think... James and Albus are old enough to decide what they want to do. And perhaps Lily could spend half the time with me and half with you."

"I want all my kids with me, Harry."

"Well, you can't force them, not James at least. He's already an adult."

"And he's still my son."

"What I'm proposing here is reasonable, Ginny. I'll make sure they all see you during the holiday, and they get to decide what they want to do with the rest of their time."

"I want them with me for Christmas." She stated firmly. "I want them at the Burrow with the rest of the family."

"I thought you would." Harry replied quietly, and then stayed in silence for several minutes. "I think... I think it would be nice for them to do that. Better than to stay home with me, at least."

"Good, then. I'll get them for the last week and a half, and you can have them-"

"They're not objects, Ginny." He replied, annoyed. "And just because I agreed they spent Christmas Eve and the morning of Christmas Day with you, it doesn't mean I don't want to see them on that day! I may not have a side of the family for us to visit, but it's still important, and I still want to see them."

"What, so you want them to leave the Burrow early and interrupt their fun just so you can see them? How selfish-"

"Not anymore than you, so don't you dare judge me." He said in a low voice, teeth clenched, very far from sounding friendly. "This is what I propose. They're free to come and go from your place to mine as they please, and they spend the night of the 24th with you at the Burrow, but you bring them back in time for lunch. And the same goes for New Year's."

"And if I don't accept it?" She said, defiantly.

"Then..." He wanted to threaten not to let her see the children, to somehow keep them apart, or some other equally mean response, but he knew that, if she took it to court, it would weigh heavily against him. "Then the choice will be theirs and I can't assure you you'll get to spend any time with them at all."

She sat there and scrutinized him for several minutes, making him move in his chair a few times, uncomfortable. "Fine." She said at last. "We have an agreement, then. Do you want to discuss summer so we don't have to do this again?"

"If you want to. But as I said, James is an adult, and he gets to choose what he does with his life. And I'm sure Albus will be spending more time at the Malfoy Manor than at either of our houses. I say Lily stays two weeks with each of us, so she doesn't have to move too often and we don't spend too long without seeing her. And of course, my house is always open to all of them, whenever they want it."

Ginny wanted to protest, they were _her_ children and she didn't want to share them with anyone, but she knew Harry was being very reasonable, and perhaps a judge wouldn't be. "Okay." She replied with a nod. "Anything else?"

"Where are you living? I need to know where to take the kids."

"I'll send you the address. Just have them Floo there."

"Fine." He replied, standing up, and she did the same. "See you around, then." He said before turning around and leaving the room. At least it was one less thing to worry about.

Both Harry and Ginny were waiting for the kids at the platform when the scarlet train arrived, standing a few feet apart and ignoring one another. It took several minutes for the children to find them in the mess that was instantly created as the train doors were opened, and there was some awkwardness as they tried to sort out who went where. James said he needed some things from Grimmauld Place and then he'd be off to the Diagon Alley; apparently he had a lot to talk to George about. Albus decided to go with Harry, and Lily was a bit divided, but as the other two were going with their dad, she felt compelled to follow Ginny. And for the first time, the Potter siblings went to separate homes. It was a feeling they'd have to get used to.

As much as Albus wanted to run to his boyfriend's house, instead he decided to go visit his mom, and after contacting her via Floo to make sure she was home, he stepped through the fireplace and arrived in a big room, which served as living area, dining room and kitchen. Ginny was waiting a couple of steps away from the fire, and hugged him tight when he arrived. The first thing they did was a tour of the place: it was a three-bedroom apartment, with two and a half baths, located in Muggle London. Looking out the window, he could make out the Thames and a couple other landmarks.

One of the rooms was Ginny's, and she'd set up a working area there as well. One belonged to Lily, who he found sitting at her desk working at her homework, and there was so much pink in it that he felt slightly sick. Then there was the bedroom he'd share with James whenever the two of them were around. The side that belonged to his brother was decorated with Gryffindor colors, and he could already see the posters the boy would hang on the wall. One would've expected, then, that Albus's side of the room would be decorated in green and silver, but evidently it was taking things too far for Ginny, so it was painted baby blue. He shrugged it off. He didn't plan to spend too long there anyway.

Once he saw everything there was to see, Ginny, Lily and him went for a walk around the block, had hot-dogs from a cart in a nearby park and bought little souvenirs they weren't all too sure about the use. The sun was setting when they returned to the flat, and despite Ginny's insistence that he stayed for dinner, he opted to return to Grimmauld Place. There were things he wanted to do, and he already had plans for the following day.

It took the kids a while to adjust, but by Christmas they were very much used to it already. Every few days they'd visit Ginny, and Lily would alternate a couple of days between London and Grimmauld Place. As Harry had predicted, Albus spent most of his time with Scorpius, though they were working less on their homework and more on other issues than the brunet's parents would've imagined.

But Christmas was weird for all of them. It was strange not having Harry around the house, either it be to help out or to play with them and remember his school days. To make matters worse, most of the Weasleys were very hesitant to talk to them, and were especially careful not to mention Harry's name, as if it were some kind of taboo in the house, which Albus thought was pretty lame. Couples split up, get over it, he thought.

The only one to talk to him normally was Teddy, who was in a very good mood as he and Victoire had finally decided upon a wedding day. They spent a while talking that morning, before he was dragged outside to help some of his cousins test their Christmas presents. He thought they were a little too old to be getting toys and pranks, but the boys were enjoying themselves, and after a few minutes, Albus was feeling like a child again, having as much fun as everybody else.

And then there was lunch at Grimmauld Place, just Harry and the three of them. It was a quiet meal, and there were quite a few presents waiting for them under the tree, though Albus suspected it was to somehow make up for the guilt his father was most likely feeling. Not that he was complaining.

New Year's was also strange, but gladly it was soon time to return to Hogwarts, and he could put off thinking about that for another semester. And surely after summer holiday, it would seem the most natural thing to jump back and forth between his mother's and his father's place, just as it was to go from Grimmauld Place to the Malfoy Manor. Or so he hoped.


	40. Chapter 40

**Author's Note:** Maybe it's a little unexpected, but I've decided to make the next chapter the last one. I've thought long and hard about it, and I realized there's nothing more of the story to tell, and it would just become much too repetitive, so I've decided to finish it instead. This chapter will be dedicated to Harry and Snape's relationship, so that end isn't loose, but I'm afraid Snape came out a little (or a lot) out of character, if nothing else, because he seemed to progress a little too quickly from one posture to a completely different one. Please forgive me for that. The next one will be entirely about Albus and Scorpius (and I'll be keeping them in character, don't worry!), and I'll post it tomorrow.

**Author's Note 2: **To my anon reviewer, thank you for your message! I love constructive criticism. I've been writing this for so long I hadn't realized how many 'hm's I use. And as I've read most of the Harry Potter series in Portuguese, and so long ago, I don't really know what interjections are particular to which characters. And though they probably are very different, for some reason, in my head, 'hm' has pretty much the same sound as 'erm'. Not that it excuses anything, I just thought I'd explain it. And I'll be more careful from here on =)

* * *

**Chapter Forty**

After Albus's incident, Harry and Snape's meetings moved from the man's office to his chambers, where they could sit more comfortably for longer periods of time, and to better adjust to both their schedules, they started happening more often after dinner over a drink rather than in the middle of the afternoon over tea, so Harry didn't waste trips to Hogwarts anymore.

Little by little, the Potions Master began talking more and volunteering his inputs without the brunet having to fish for them. The relationship with the man was particularly important for Harry as he decided to formally end his relationship with Ginny, as most of the people he had regular contact with were Weasleys, who alternated between lecturing him and trying to convince him to get back with the redhead. It was so exhausting he began actively avoiding them all.

"How did they take it?" Snape asked as they sat down, one of Hogwarts elves serving them tea.

It was the first Saturday after classes returned, and he'd extensively discussed the effects of his divorce on his children, and he didn't even need Snape's recounts of his troubled home (though he was pleasantly surprised to hear the man talk about that, even in as general terms as the subject could be discussed) to know that, hard as it might be for all of them, it was the best thing to do.

"As well as possible, I guess." He replied, taking his cup and watching the elf disappear after a short bow. "Lily was very upset, but I think she understood." Snape nodded. "Did you observe anything different about them?"

"They all have been quieter, but I suppose it's only natural. It'll take a while for them to adjust." He sipped from his tea briefly. "It might be too soon to say, but I believe your plans for James's summer have had the desired effects. He seems much better behaved and focused."

"I think he really changed. And whatever happened at the shop. it's had a positive effect on George as well. He's more like his old self now."

"And that's a good thing, I suppose?" He commented with a slight frown, remembering the redhead's school days and making the brunet giggle softly. "And how about you? How are you doing? I don't suppose the rest of the family was too happy about the news."

"They weren't. They blame me for it, and I'm sure I'll still have to endure plenty more lectures before they accept it. But I know it was the right thing to do, so I'm alright with that." He took his cup to his lips, pondering whether or not to continue on the subject. "I've already filed the divorce papers, and the process should be finished in a couple of months, give or take." He added, watching Snape's expression expectantly, but the man's face remained impassive.

"It is definitive, then." He said in a neutral tone.

"Yes, it is." Harry agreed, and they sat in silence for the next several minutes. "So, have you seen the latest headline of the Prophet?" He asked, giving up on trying to read the Potions Master. It was borderline impossible.

"Surprisingly, it wasn't yet again about your divorce." He replied a little sarcastically, and the brunet smiled as the return to more neutral subjects led to hours of conversation.

The longer they spent together, the more the fire in Harry's chest grew. At first, he was very much satisfied to sit back and just watch the man from a distance, but the feelings were too intense, and soon he found himself wondering what it'd be like to kiss Snape, to spend time in his arms and, eventually, do more than that. Those thoughts always seemed to choose the worst moments to pop into his head, often making him blush violently, and whenever it happened around the Potions Master, he couldn't help feeling the man knew exactly what was going on in his head, distracting him so much he'd lose large chunks of the conversation at a time.

And the fact that Snape never gave anything away, not one way or the other, was slowly driving him crazy. Many times, lying in bed at night, he'd imagine himself telling the Potions Master about his feelings, and depending on how positive he was feeling, scenarios varied from being completely accepted and reciprocated to finally succumbing to the Killing Curse. And sometimes, even that seemed better than not knowing.

As the year reached its final couple of moths and the weather grew colder, Harry's melancholy over the lack of definition about his relationship grew, making him feel like a teenager again, and leaving him even more frustrated than he already was. He began spending long minutes at a time during the week pacing in front of his fireplace in the study of Grimmauld Place, fighting the urge to just pop by for a visit, knowing he'd certainly be kicked out on the spot, as had actually happened the one time he gave in.

Knowing about Harry's home situation, and how much Hogwarts had always meant to him, McGonagall, upon consulting the other faculty members, invited him to spend Christmas Eve at the castle, and dine with them. He was more than glad to accept, considering his only other option was to stay home alone, as the children were over at the Burrow and he honestly preferred not to join them. It also meant he got to see Severus, as he'd gotten used to thinking about the man, though he hadn't yet dared to say the name out loud. He was much too happy being alive to risk it.

He ended up sharing a few stories from his own school days with the few students that remained at school that Winter Break, and they were more than grateful for the change in habits. Most professors also seemed to appreciate it, as they got a break from watching especially the younger ones, who were having a hard time adjusting to school, especially without families to support them.

It was already late when Harry decided to return home, but having drunk a little more than he should've, especially after the kids went to bed and he had a chance to properly catch up with Neville, it was decided he'd spend the night at the school, and the fact he had no opinion in the matter crowned his day feeling eleven again. But it actually didn't feel as bad as it could've; it was nice to feel cared for every now and then.

Before heading home the following morning, he stopped by Snape's office, but found him in the Potions classroom instead, three caldrons on the fire at the same time. He smiled from the door, watching skilled hands dealing so delicately with different ingredients before the man waltzed between each Potion he was brewing, checking for color, smell, and occasionally stirring it this or that way, adding a new ingredient, changing the intensity of the heat. It was mesmerizing to witness.

"You're making me lose my focus, Potter." He said without turning his eyes to the brunet, who giggled softly, taking a few steps into the room.

"It brings back memories." He replied dreamily, his eyes wandering through the room. "And everything's just as I remember it."

"Is there anything I can help you with?" He insisted, finally looking up, now all three potions just needed to boil for different amounts of time.

"I wanted to thank you for last night. It was the most fun I've had in a while."

"You should thank McGonagall for inviting you, then, not me."

Harry just smiled before reaching into an inside pocket in his jacket, offering a folded piece of parchment to the other man. "Merry Christmas."

"No, thank you." He said before turning around.

"Oh, come on. Don't be a spoilsport." He joked.

"If I must." Snape mumbled, taking the parchment and unfolding it carelessly. "What is this?" He asked after analyzing the contents for a few seconds.

"The first order for your shop." He smiled contently.

The back eyes pierced him for a moment longer before he snorted and shoved the list into his pocket. "Is there anything else?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I'll be going now. We're still on for Saturday?"

"If you must." Came the reply in a low voice, and the brunet was smiling as he left the castle.

It was a fairly quiet lunch with the kids, which he'd prepared himself with the help of a magical cook book he'd found a few days earlier in Flourish and Blotts, and other than the strange feeling of having them keep going back and forth from Ginny's new place, Winter Break went pretty smoothly for them.

Harry never thought he'd get over the strangeness of being at Hogwarts so often again, and of having all his children study there and not even say hi to them when he was around, he thought as he made his way down to the dungeons, his hat and gloves hanging from a pocket and the coat he'd been considering taking off, quickly returning to its original place as the cold underground air hit him.

He waved briefly at a Slytherin girl, probably in sixth or seventh year, who nearly always crossed paths with him when he showed up at night, and always smiled at him, somewhat embarrassedly. If he hadn't been more concerned with dealing with his own feelings, he would've noticed the expression in her face that clearly screamed interest, even though she knew he was way out of her league. But being so close to Snape always made it harder for him to think too clearly.

As it was a cold night, they sat by the lit fire and opted for a nice cup of steamy tea, courtesy of the school kitchen. It hadn't taken long for them to create captive seats for themselves, the Potions Master on an armchair and the brunet on the couch perpendicular to it, where they could as easily keep their eyes on each other as let them wander around.

Harry noticed Snape clenching his teeth for the second time in the last few minutes, followed by a brief rub on his bad knee. He frowned a little, wondering if he should say anything - Snape wouldn't be pleased at all if he did -, but he also knew it must be hurting a lot for the man to express it, minimally as it might be. He was still debating it in his head when it happened for a third time, and he knew he couldn't just watch in silence.

"Are you okay?" He interrupted the man, gaining a frown.

"I am great, Potter."

"Your knee. Does it hurt?"

"It's an old battle wound. Of course it hurts."

"But... Is it worse? I've never seen you demonstrate it before."

"It gets worse in the winter. What's with all the questions?"

"Don't you have anything for the pain? I could go get it if-"

"No known potions for pain have any effect. I have been perfecting an ointment to rub on that seems to help. I'll get to it once you're gone."

Harry seemed to think for a moment. "Where is it?"

"Where's what, Potter?"

"Your miraculous ointment."

Snape rolled his eyes. "It's not miraculous. And why should I tell you?" He raised a suspicious eyebrow.

Harry sighed, knowing he'd have a lot of work ahead to get the man to agree with his idea. "Let me apply it for you."

"I don't think so, Potter. If you're that concerned about it, all you have to do is leave."

"We're in the middle of a conversation, you know."

"You can hardly say that, when you have no idea what we've been talking about for the past-" He clenched his teeth in pain, unable to continue his sentence.

In the split second their eyes met before Snape looked away, Harry was surprised - almost shocked - to see how much the man was hurting. "Where is it?" He demanded almost authoritatively, gaining an angry look he readily ignored. "Quit being so stubborn! Accepting help won't make you any weaker, Snape." He sustained the look for long moments, defiantly. Then he sighed. "Please. Let me help. Nobody has to know." He joked with a half smile.

Another few moments of tense silence later, Snape nodded almost imperceptibly and, within seconds, a small flask flew into the room, and Harry couldn't help his eyebrows raising or his lips curling up at that impressive display of magic. The flask stopped in front of him, waiting to be picked up.

Snape looked suspiciously at him again before pulling one leg of his pants up, stopping a couple of inches above the knee, as not to get any ointment in his clothes. Harry kneeled beside him, opening the flask and taking out some of its content before leaving it carefully on the floor and rubbing his hands together to warm up the substance. His green eyes met the black ones for a moment before he turned his attentions to rubbing the skin before him.

Little by little, he felt Snape relax under his touch, and couldn't help smiling at it. When he looked up, the Potions Master had laid back on his chair, with his eyes closed, and the image had more effect on him than he expected. Shaking his head, he tried to focus back on the task at hand, but couldn't help the color rising to his face.

The application of the potion didn't take more than a few minutes at most, but Harry was still rubbing Snape's knee long after that, and the older man didn't complain about it either. The brunet was slightly out of breath when he realized his hands were no longer moving only on the knee area, but going further up and down the leg. Surprised and embarrassed at how much he was enjoying it, he stood up, turning his back at Snape.

"I-I think I should go now." He said quietly, heading to the door.

Snape cleared his throat. "Yes, I believe it's for the best." He put his pants back in place and meant to stand up, but Harry stopped him.

"No, no, don't worry. You stay there and rest your leg." He smiled. "I know my way."

Snape nodded. "Potter?" He called as the brunet raised a hand to the doorknob.

"Yes?" He replied, turning around.

"Should I... expect you next week?"

"Sure." He smiled broadly. "Have a good night."

"You too, Potter." He replied as he watched the man disappear behind heavy wooden door.

During the whole week, Harry would alternate between being embarrassed at what had happened, aroused by it, and excited he'd finally got some sort of sign Snape just might be interested in him as well. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let him get that close, would he? Or touch him like he did, trust him to care for his weakest spot. He couldn't wait to meet the man again.

His hands were shaking slightly as he knocked on Snape's chambers, and he took a deep breath to steady himself as he waited for the door to open. He smiled at the older man as they walked silently to their usual seats, their drinks already waiting for them on the coffee table.

"How's your knee?" The brunet asked as he sat down.

"Better. Well, as much as it can be." He replied with an almost-smile.

"I'm glad." He said honestly. "What's so special about that ointment you're developing?"

For the following half hour, he listened to the man talk about his research and what was obviously one of his passions (if not the only one). It was absolutely fascinating, even though Harry had to admit he didn't understand everything that was being said; he no longer knew, if he ever had, what this root or that extract could do, and how it was obvious how they would react together. But he smiled all along, nodding occasionally when it seemed appropriate, and promising himself to dig out his old potions books once he got home.

After they were through with the subject, they fell into a comfortable silence. Somehow it didn't seem all too appropriate now to discuss the latest scandal an old witch had put up in a muggle city when she walked by a shop with what they believe to be witchcraft articles, or how a little boy nearly drowned because his father wanted proof he had magic in him, even though he was only three years old.

"You know, you haven't changed one bit in twenty years." Harry said eventually, when Snape stood up to get them another dose of Firewhisky, letting his eyes run up and down the slim figure, as discreetly as he could manage it. "You look just as you did when I was in school. It's fantastic, really."

"Well, evidently you have, since apparently I went from being a coward to being the bravest man you've ever known." He replied sarcastically, taking making the other man blush slightly at the comment.

"H-How do you know about that?"

"Your son told me on his first day in the castle."

"Oh." He replied quietly, sipping his tea. "Well, I was just a kid then, I thought a lot of wrong things." Snape just looked intensely at him, but didn't say anything. Harry shifted his position slightly, uncomfortable. "I'm sorry for what I've said back then." He said at last. "All the times I was angry at you."

"I don't blame you, Potter. I was just teasing you, though it feels good to finally be appreciated for my multiple sacrifices." He said with a half-smile. "Whatever made you say that to Albus, he seemed really proud to be under my care."

"Well, he should be." He replied smiling. "I'm secretly pleased he ended up in Slytherin. I think it suits him better than Gryffindor."

"I would have to agree with you."

Harry smiled, sipping his drink and trying to think what else he could say. After what seemed like an eternity, they engaged in conversation again, though the long silences no longer bothered either of them. Now it felt as right to talk as it did to just enjoy each other's company, and many times that night the brunet caught his eyes wandering from the black tunnels that were Snape's eyes to his lips, and how seductively they moved when the man spoke.

After a couple of hours, they decided it was enough for one evening, even though they didn't have to wake up too early the following day. They stood up and walked together, Harry delaying his steps and only reaching the door when the older man was already holding it open for him.

"Don't even think about it, Potter." He warned as the other man took a half-step his way, looking hopeful. "It won't happen."

"You still see me like that spoiled schoolboy you always thought I was, don't you?" He asked with a sad smile and a brief nod as he crossed the threshold. "Good night, Professor." He said before walking away, barely hearing the reply whispered at his back.

During the week, he spent a long time wondering whether or not he should return to the dungeons; he was afraid it would be too painful, and maybe instead he should go out and find some boy to go home with and dump on the following morning. But as the sun set on Saturday, Harry found himself stepping into the fireplace headed to Hogwarts.

"I didn't think you'd come back after last time." Snape said honestly, standing at the open door to his chambers. "I suppose you are a masochist after all."

Harry smiled at the comment. "Let's have dinner at Hogsmeade." He invited, and the other man's expression screamed disbelief.

"Were you not here last week, Potter? Didn't you hear me say nothing would happen?"

The brunet shook his head, still smiling. "As friends, Snape. I remember what you said, and I respect it, even though I don't agree with you. I just thought you'd appreciate doing something different for a change."

"And what if I say no?"

"Then I'll invite myself to eat at the Great Hall and we can talk afterwards. I'm sure your students would love to know I'm here just because of you." He joked, gaining a frown.

"I have responsibilities, Potter. I can't just leave the castle when it's not even an emergency." He said strictly, but Harry's smile widened.

"They can live without you for a few hours."

For long minutes, they just looked at one another, one waiting expectantly and the other pondering his options.

"I'll just grab my cloak." The Potions Master replied quietly at last, disappearing into the room.

Harry had to put a lot of effort not to jump up and down like an excited child. Snape sent a quick message to McGonagall before leaving, and she was more than glad to see the man working on his personal life for a change. In all the years she'd known him, especially in his adulthood, except for Harry, she'd never seen him focus on anything other than work, be it teaching or spying. Not even so many years after the war was over and it was safe to have personal relationships again, the man had never demonstrated the remotest interest in the subject.

They walked quietly out of the castle, and as they reached the open grounds, Harry couldn't help remembering the night he ran after that same man, calling him a coward for killing his mentor, his only friend, and his cheeks acquired a soft shade of pink as he felt terribly embarrassed for the incident. He only dared to look at Snape again when they reached the school gates, Snape's silent flick of wand catching his attention.

"After you, Potter." He said with a slight smirk, pointing at the still closed gates.

Harry was afraid it was a joke designed to make a fool of him, and looked at the Potions Master, suspicious. But the older man just gave him an encouraging nod and, to his surprise, he walked through the iron gates like they were smoke. His jaw dropped, and he watched Snape cross as well before flicking his wand again, undoubtedly making the gates solid as they usually were.

"That was... Impressive." Harry mumbled as they began walking again, and Snape just smiled, satisfied. "Can I ask you something?" He said quietly after a few minutes. They were walking side by side down the increasingly dark road, the still cold wind playing with their hair. Taking the silence as an affirmative, he continued. "Wasn't there anybody in your life after my mom?"

Snape looked at him for a moment, an eyebrow arched, before looking ahead again. "Regardless of my answer, it doesn't change anything between us, you know that, right, Potter?"

Harry nodded. "I know. It just sounds terribly lonely."

"It was war." He replied simply.

"War's been over for nearly 25 years now." He said quietly.

"It was never important for me. Other than Lily... People were always means to get somewhere. I'm where I want to be now."

The younger man smiled sadly, nodding. The outline of the village was now clear ahead of them, the warm lights on the streets resembling large stars in the dark. "I was surprised, you know." He said after a few minutes. "That you weren't put off by... The boy's relationship. Or my... feelings." He hesitated before saying the last word, having never expressed that out loud, but knowing well that Snape had already deduced that much.

"It's really not that important." The Potions Master replied quietly. "People tend to... Like each other, in different ways. I personally always figured that, since there are two... options, it's only natural for there to be people to like them both."

"Ron almost freaked out when he found out about Albus." He commented with a shrug. "Hermione thought I was crazy to encourage them. Charlie still hasn't come out to his family, even though he doesn't depend on them for anything anymore, lives in another country and knows the Weasleys love him."

"It's harder for some people. Maybe because of the way they were brought up, mostly for pure ignorance. Not any different than it is in the Muggle world, I suppose."

Harry nodded. "Draco doesn't seem to have that much trouble with it, though. Of course at first he wanted Scorpius to marry a girl to provide heirs for the family, but he doesn't care to be too discreet or seem ashamed of his affairs with other men."

"Actually, it's almost traditional for high-class pure-blood people to have... parallel relationships, often with the same gender, so long as they don't let the family die. Especially considering the marriages are normally arranged, instead of chosen by the heirs. As Draco has his affairs, certainly also does his wife, and did his parents before him, and their parents before them. At some point, it stopped being important to hide such affairs."

"You know a lot." Harry said quietly, smiling.

"I've spent a lot of time around such people." It should've sounded like a sarcastic remark stating the obvious, but instead was merely an observation.

"And were you one of those parallel relationships?" He asked with a playful smile.

"I hardly think that information is any of your business, Potter." Snape said severely, making the younger man wish he'd never posed the question, even as a joke. "Three Broomsticks?" He suggested as they entered the Main Street, his tone sounding light again.

"Do you mind if we go to the Hogshead? It's been a while since I last saw Aberforth." He suggested with a smile.

"It's all the same to me, really." He replied, and would've shrugged, but the gesture wasn't really his style.

After a quick chat with the owner (or so Harry thought; Snape's expression made it clear he didn't share the feeling), they took a table in a corner, making sure there were no drunks eavesdropping on their conversation, and ordered their meals, which would be accompanied by Butterbeer for the younger man and Elf-made wine for the older.

"I... Don't suppose you have any reason to talk to me about it, but have you... You know..." Harry began, embarrassed, once they were left alone. "Been with another guy?"

"Have you?" He raised an eyebrow, but otherwise apparently unaffected by the personal question.

He shook his head. "Actually, there was only that brief thing with Cho during fifth year and it's been only Ginny ever since." He said in a low voice.

"And now there's me." Snape seemed amused by the idea, and let the corner of his lips curl up a little as the brunet nodded.

"So, have you?" He insisted, his face bright red even in the dim light of the bar.

"It depends what you mean by 'been with'." He replied before taking a sip from his drink. "As I've said, I haven't had anyone significant in my life since Lily, not in that way, at least."

"So it's only ever been her?" He couldn't help the dreamy smile as he pictured the epic and tragic romance between his mother and his former professor.

"Just because I wasn't emotionally involved, it doesn't mean I wasn't _physically_ involved with other people." He replied quietly.

"So you have, then?" Harry's eyebrows arched, surprised, and he had to wait a few moments for the reply, as the waitress brought their orders.

"If you need a straight answer, then yes, Potter, I have."

"And... What is it like? I mean, compared to being with women?" He asked in a whisper, his gaze fixed on the food before him.

"I don't see why we should enter that topic, Potter. If you're so curious about it, go to one of those bars or whatever kids have nowadays and choose someone. Really, all you have to do is introduce yourself and you'll have anyone you want."

"I don't want just anyone." He mumbled, taking the fork to his mouth and looking up when he heard the Potions Master laugh briefly.

"I knew that was the point of this whole conversation, Potter. You were really never one for subtleties."

"Well, why won't you give me a chance, then?"

"Haven't you been involved in enough scandals by breaking up with the Weasley girl?"

"I don't care about that." He replied stubbornly. "I did my duty, saved them all, posed as a poster child. Now I'm entitled to live my own life as I please."

"You're Harry Potter, boy. You'll never be rid of the press." He replied sarcastically.

"I'm not a boy. I'm a man."

"Sure, Potter, sure."

"Why, then? That's not a valid point you made."

"Because..." He began, sighing and taking a sip of wine. "There are certainly a million reasons. I'm much too old for you-"

"You're not old."

"I'm literally old enough to be your father, Potter." He smirked.

"It doesn't mean we can't be together." He insisted, and Snape rolled his eyes.

"I am too old for you." He repeated firmly.

"Let _me_ be the judge of that, won't you?"

He shook his head, sighing. He'd forgotten just how stubborn the boy could be. "There's also the fact that I teach your children, so it would be highly unprofessional."

"But you'd like to give us a chance, then?" He asked hopeful.

"I don't want to, Potter. I'm sorry if it... Breaks your heart or anything equally as dramatic, but the fact is, I don't want us to be together. And there's nothing more to it. Maybe I shouldn't have let you get so close in the first place, maybe I should've severed all those... feelings from the start."

"No!" He protested, a little louder than he wanted, gaining a frown and lowering his voice before continuing. "Regardless... Of anything else, I'm really glad to be your friend. I means a lot to me, to have you there to support me when I'm in need, keep me company when I don't want to be alone, listen to me babble." His cheeks grew redder with each sentence, but he was determined not to stop until he finished what he had to say. "For you to allow me to get to know you better, and have such an amazing person be part of my life."

Snape shifted in his seat uncomfortably. None of them said anything for the rest of the meal, and left equally in silence, walking together out of the village. The Potions Master walked a few steps ahead of the brunet, who wondered if he was right in saying all he had. Even if they couldn't be together, for whatever reason, it was important for him that the other man knew there was someone out there who cared about him, that he wasn't alone anymore. The thought of Snape being lonely just broke his heart.

"I suppose you're not coming in, Potter? You can apparate home from here."

Harry nodded, and the two stood there for long moments.

"So? I'm waiting." Snape insisted impatient. Harry bit his lip hesitantly. "I told you, Potter, no." He insisted, watching the younger man closely and easily guessing his thoughts.

"If it's all the same to you, why don't you at least let me give you a kiss good night?"

"We're not teenagers anymore." He said in a low voice, rolling his eyes. "And if I did, I'd give you hope, just to crush it when you tried to get something more out of me. I'd rather have things the way they are, or not have them at all." He explained, and Harry nodded, a sad smile on his face. It was an expression Snape was seeing far too often on the other man, and it affected him more than he'd like it to. After another moment arguing with himself, he sighed, reaching a hand to lift the boy's chin and leaving a quick peck on his lips, as softly as he could. "There. Now you can go." He said, turning his back to the brunet, but seeing him smile from the corner of his eye.

"Good night, Severus." He whispered, and before the other man could protest, he was gone with a loud _pop_.

Snape regretted his little charity act bitterly during the following weeks. Harry had become even more annoying that he usually was, and kept insisting there was something behind the gesture, to the point the Potions Master kicked him out twice and, on the third time, threatened to erase his memory. Only then they managed to return to the comfortably neutral subjects they were used to discuss.

As the weather improved, they began going out for dinner more often, and after being threatened, Harry managed to get himself under control. They talked a lot when they were together, and unlike it was in the beginning, it wasn't mostly a monologue from the brunet to a not very willing one-man audience. And yet, no matter how much Snape shared with him, he was still one big mystery to the emerald eyes constantly trying to read between the lines and searching in the endless darkness of the black tunnels that never failed to meet them.

It was only after a couple of months that Harry decided to try again, and as they walked back to the castle, he let his dangling hand rub against Snape's, at first lightly, then more consistently, but as he considered whether or not to actually hold it, the Potions Master took a step to the side, away from him, his eyes on the road ahead the whole time.

"What do you think you're doing, Potter?" He asked, trying to sound annoyed, but Harry could detect the traces of amusement he was learning to recognize behind any disguise.

"If the situation was different, do you think you'd give me a chance?"

He sighed. "Different how?"

"If we were the same age? If you weren't teaching my children? If we didn't have the past we have, or if the things that happened between you and my parents had never happened?"

"If all of the above applied, then maybe." He replied quietly.

"Then would you consider the possibility of-"

"No." He interrupted the man.

"But-"

He stopped and turned to Harry. "Look, Potter, this-" He motioned, indicating their relationship. "Is too complicated at the moment. There's all that you've already said, and most importantly, there are your children, who'll be coming home in just a few weeks to spend the first summer with their parents separated, and from what you tell me, not exactly on speaking terms. It's great that you're... Getting to know yourself again, but they are more important right now. No matter what they say, before you can even consider entering a relationship that will undoubtedly affect them, you need to make sure they are okay, that they understand what's happened to their family. If you bring another person into the mix, be it me or anyone else, they'll blame you for what happened, and whoever it is you're with, and though it's childish, they'll always be your children, and children can hold grudges like nobody else. So take care of them first, and then you can think about being with someone."

Harry blinked several times after Snape finished talking, trying to absorb all that'd been said. Without his kids home, it was easy to believe they were fine and ready to accept he'd moved on, and to focus on himself, but he needed to make sure of that before getting involved with anyone. James, Albus and Lily were his priority, and would always be. "I think... You have a point." He whispered, looking down. He was a little embarrassed he didn't see that for himself. What kind of parent was he?

"Don't worry about it. That's what..." He cleared his throat, looking away. "Friends are for."

The brunet looked up with a smile. "It might take a while for them to be ready to accept what happened and move on. Until then... Will you wait for me?" He asked, his cheeks bright red. "After I sort all that out, will you give me a chance?"

Snape just watched him for long minutes, conflicting thoughts battling in his head. "We'll see about that when it happens." He replied at last, resuming the fast walk he was used to.

Harry smiled as he watched the other man take a few steps before rushing to catch up with him, walking a safe distance away. Maybe things weren't how he'd ideally have them, but there was still hope. And it was all he could ask for.


	41. Final Chapter

**Final Chapter**

It was snowing when the scarlet train arrived at the Hogsmeade station, and if the students weren't so tired, most would've enjoyed the favorable weather conditions to play a little outside before the banquet. Peeves, at least, was decided to do just that, throwing snowballs and water balloons at the students who, upon seeing him, proceeded to run their way to the Entrance Hall as fast as their legs could carry them. There weren't many who made it dry.

Albus and Scorpius were chatting with their roommates as they stepped out of the carriage and, entertained, none of them saw the snowball headed the blond's way. It hit the boy on the right cheek, as he'd turned to look at Thales, who was standing at his left, and the bits melting in contact with his warm skin and sliding down under his clothes made him swear loudly and the others laugh hard.

Scorpius stopped walking and stood frowning at his friends and the poltergeist still laughing. He looked at his boyfriend for some sympathy, but it took the brunet several moments to control himself.

"Come on, Scorp, it's not that ba-" His sentence was interrupted by the snowball that hit him right on the face, making him eat some of the snow.

It was the blond's turn to laugh as the other boy's cheeks acquired a faint shade of pink. None of the four Slytherins escaped the prank, eventually giving up frowning for being hit and instead laughing along until their stomachs began to hurt. They immediately cast drying spells over themselves as they entered the safety of the castle, before heading to the Great Hall and sitting somewhere in the middle of the table, older students to both their sides.

They spent most of the meal discussing holiday stories, as Thales and his family had traveled abroad to visit family, and Lynus swore he got the worst Christmas presents ever. By the time they were sent back to their dorms, most Slytherins were practically sleepwalking, eyelids heavy and feet stumbling as they tried to reach the dungeons. Even Albus and Scorpius, who were used to staying up late, were having a hard time battling sleep.

The first days back were a little slow, but all professors seemed decided to get them back on track, and fast, so all fifth- and seventh-years were buried in homework. And the tension for the exams, allied with the very cold weather, was already making its first casualties, crowding the normally silent Hospital Wing. To make matters worse, if being sick didn't feel bad enough, everybody under the care of Madam Pomfrey had to hear her complain all day long about how irresponsible they were, not coating up properly and taking the necessary precautions in order not to get sick. From what they heard around the school, both boys were more than happy to be in perfect health conditions, even more than they normally were.

All four fifth-year Slytherin boys, one at a time, were summoned to Snape's office during the second week to discuss their plans for after they left Hogwarts, as they needed to decide which O.W.L.s to take and be aware of just how high their grades needed to be for them to keep taking the necessary subjects. As usually happened, they mostly had no idea what they wanted to do with their lives, which meant they'd need high grades in every subject they'd been studying so far, just in case. The Potions Master had always thought 15 or 16 was way too soon for the kids to choose careers, but still had to go through that ritual every year, and it didn't help his mood at all.

Scorpius also had to think about Quidditch, and with Slytherin barely ahead of Gryffindor, practice was getting tenser and harder by the week. And to top it all off, there were no sixth-years on the team, so as soon as the senior players graduated, Scorpius would be promoted to team captain. As there was plenty he didn't know about that, most of the little free time he managed to find was taken by his senior players, who were decided to pass on to him everything they learned about the sport and the other teams, making the blond's head spin a little with so much information. With every day gone by, he was more certain he'd make a lousy team captain.

With everything his boyfriend had to worry about, it fell to Albus the responsibility to organize the blond's schedule, and make sure his homework was as little time-consuming as possible, which meant it consumed twice as much of his own time, and he didn't even have time to watch Scorpius practice anymore, let alone spend quality time with the boy. But as exhausted as they were, every night when they cuddled to sleep, they felt very satisfied with themselves.

Due to adverse weather conditions, the first visit to Hogsmeade could only be scheduled for late February, which meant the students were forced to spend Valentine's Sunday in the castle. Some tried to protest, arguing that a little snow didn't hurt anyone (even though it was more like a snowstorm outside, rather than little delicate flakes falling gently to rest on their noses for a moment before melting), and that all those who were of age should be allowed to choose, but McGonagall was adamant about her decision, and the castle ended up with a fair share of grumpy students that day.

As much as they wanted to do something special for the occasion, both boys were leaning more towards finishing the four essays they still had to work on for the following week, and the only time they had for themselves was late at night, when they decided to go to bed early and, after making sure they'd cast a privacy spell over the bed, they cuddled and talked for hours, the occasional kissing silencing them for several minutes at a time.

Since their school workload didn't allow them to have the romantic Valentine's Day they would've both liked, on the first Saturday the students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade, Albus decided to declare a holiday from school matters and dedicate the day to their relationship. As he knew there wouldn't be many people around the castle, and there wasn't really anything interesting to do in the village, he organized a picnic brunch for them and they sat in their secluded corner by the lake to eat together.

"I'm starting to think this is the best idea you've had in a while, Al." He whispered before accepting the grape he was being offered and gently sucking the fingers holding it, making the brunet smile. "At this rate, my brain's going to melt down before the O.W.L.s, and I can't have that happen."

"The O.W.L.s are still a long way away, Scorp." He replied, getting a grape for himself.

"No, it's not. It's in just a few-

"Four-"

"- months, and my dad will cut my head off if I don't get at least Exceeds Expectations. And I want nothing less than Outstanding in all of them, I know I can if I work hard enough."

"Well, just don't overwork yourself, Scorp." He smiled, kissing the blond's lips softly before resting his head on the boy's stretched legs. "You'll do brilliantly, I'm sure. Don't get yourself sick over it."

It was Scorpius's turn to smile. "Don't worry, Al. I'll be fine." He leaned forward and kissed the brunet lazily before sitting back up, drinking a sip of pumpkin juice and letting himself fall back on the conjured blanket.

After a while, Albus shifted his position, lying his head on the blond's chest, one arm spread over him, and Scorpius pulling him close.

"I love to hear your heart beat." The brunet whispered after a couple of minutes, his voice dragging a little as a result of the sleep flirting with him.

"Really?" The blond raised an eyebrow, his eyes on the clouds flying slowly past.

"Yeah. I like the sound, I like knowing how close I am to you."

Scorpius just smiled, giving the boy a squeeze. "Al?" He called after long minutes.

"Hm?" His voice indicated he was almost asleep.

"I love you." He whispered, and was surprised when the brunet lifted himself up on one elbow to look into his eyes.

"I love you too, Scorp." He whispered, his voice slightly hoarse sending shivers through the blond, before kissing him slowly, letting their tongues play together until they were both breathless. When their eyes met again, they were darkened with desire. "Do you want to get out of here?"

Scorpius just smiled before they began gathering their things.

The first game of the year featured Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, and mostly out of habit than anything else, Scorpius decided to attend it. As everybody expected, the lion house had an easy win, and the hour and a half they spent down at the pitch didn't prove productive at all. Usually the point of watching every match was to gather intelligence on the other teams' tactics, but there was nothing new on the plays performed by the players in red: even if they'd been working on something original, that adversary didn't require them going that far.

It hadn't snowed during the game, but the wind blew strong and cold, making many students lose their Sundays lying in a bed at the Hospital Wing. This time, Albus didn't escape the cold going around, and though it took a lot of insisting from the blond, he eventually gave in and went to see Madam Pomfrey. He slept for most of the morning, but woke up feeling a lot better, so he spent the afternoon with books open all over his bed, with Scorpius to keep him company, and by dinner he'd been released under the condition he returned for two more days to take his potions.

As spring arrived and the weather improved, every chance they got, the boys would sit outside to study, instead of being hidden in the dungeons all day. Sometimes it would be just the two of them, and they were becoming very self-disciplined, or else they'd have to choose between being around one another or doing well at school; and sometimes they'd sit with friends, either their roommates or Frankie and Gabby, as the two seemed to be always around each other now the girl had dumped her boyfriend. The boy's protective older brother side seemed pretty pleased by that particular development of events.

"Hey, Scorp?" He called one afternoon they were sitting under a tree, just the two of them. More and more, there were students out in the garden for the free periods, and the low noise of voices provided the soundtrack for their activities.

"Hm?" He looked up from the parchment he'd been writing in.

"What did you put on the second question?" He asked, looking over the boy's shoulder to try and peek at his answer.

"Here." He offered the parchment and the brunet read it in silence for a minute.

"I thought so." He replied with a sigh. "But doesn't it seem too obvious? I mean, that's what the professor said in class, so I would've thought he'd want at least more information on it for homework, but I couldn't find anything in any book I looked."

"Well, maybe he was just trying to make sure we were paying attention to class." He shrugged, starting to scribble down again. "Half the class is always asleep anyway."

"True." He smiled, turning his attention back to the work at hand.

As the O.W.L.s approached, the tension grew, and it wasn't rare for them to feel like they didn't know enough about whatever subject they were studying, even though they were easily top of their class. The two of them and Rose Weasley were practically the only ones in their year who managed to always turn in their homework in time.

"Okay, I'm done." The blond stretched his arms after leaving the book on beside himself. "Is there still much to go for you?" He asked, putting his belongings away and peeking at Albus's parchment.

He shook his head. "I'm on the last question."

"Good, then." He replied, lying down with his head on his backpack. It wasn't as soft as it could be, with the books he kept inside it, but it could be worse, he thought. After a moment, he sat up again, his expression of someone who'd just had a brilliant idea, before transfiguring the bag into a feather pillow, smiling at himself, satisfied with the results.

Albus smiled as he shook his head weakly, consulting the textbook again before writing down another paragraph. It didn't take him long to finish, but when he was finally ready to return to the castle, he looked over and the blond had fallen asleep. He smiled at himself, taking a moment to admire him, before leaning forward to leave a soft kiss on his cheek.

Scorpius smiled before he opened his eyes, being pulled back from his light nap. Their eyes met, the brunet sitting beside him, leaning forward over him and smiling as well. He reached a hand up and rest it on the boy's nape, pulling him for a kiss. It started out slow, but things quickly became heated, and Albus pulled him away laughing and gaining a groaned protest in return.

"Come on, then. It's almost time for dinner already." The brunet invited, standing up.

"Can't we just stay here another five minutes?" He asked, lazily sitting up.

"No. Come on." He smiled, offering a hand the boy took and pulling him up to his feet. "Don't forget your pillow." He joked.

The blond smiled back before transforming the bag back to its original shape and summoning up to his hand before throwing it over one shoulder. He then silently entwined his fingers with the brunet and they began walking silently back inside, the roar of their stomachs making them laugh as they climbed up the steps to the Entrance Hall.

The final Quidditch game of the season was scheduled for the first Saturday of May, and it would be the classic snakes against lions. Scorpius had been told the schedule was picked randomly every year, but he highly doubted that, as the two houses were always, _always_ the only ones to play the last game. How random could that be?

Even though he'd been doing it for four years now, the blond had to admit he still felt a little nervous before the games. Albus always said that was a good thing, it meant he wasn't assuming he'd win the game and it kept him alert. And to a certain extent, he enjoyed the butterflies on his stomach he always got as they waited to enter the field, or for the whistle to be blown and the game to begin. And the way it all went away as soon as his feet left the ground, adrenaline washing over him. He loved that sport.

The last time the lion house had been deprived or James Potter's skills, they'd quickly plummeted down the scoreboard, but this year they were putting up one hell of a fight and proving it wasn't a one-man team. And Slytherin was being forced to keep up their top game, if they had any intention of taking the cup - and anyone would be a fool to think otherwise. So they practiced hard, worked on their many rehearsed plays over and over again, and made sure everybody knew exactly what to do during the whole game. It was their year to win.

As he walked into the field, he let his eyes wander around the bleachers, looking for Albus, even though he knew he'd hardly be able to see him: from that distance, he could barely make out people, let alone identify any of them. It was only after he was in the air and flew over the crowd that he found his boyfriend sitting among a group of Slytherins, and smiled at himself as he moved away, turning his mind back to the game.

It was a tough game. As they knew it would be.

It took the players two long hours, countless interrupted goal attempts and a lot of tossing the Quaffle around and dodging the Bludgers before the Golden Snitch was finally captured. It was a deciding move: the score was practically tied, and surprisingly low, when the crowd erupted in cheers for the snake house. Scorpius had reached the golden ball first.

The other players carried him on their shoulders out of the pitch and into the changing room, where Albus soon joined them, and the celebrations lasted for the rest of the day. The Great Hall was decorated in green and silver that night, and most of the Gryffindors were looking very grumpy, which only added to the snakes enjoyment. Surprisingly, though, half way through the meal, James walked up to them to offer the team his congratulations, which astonished most of the students in the room and put the professors, watching as closely as everyone else, in high alert, even after all the ways he'd already changed since September.

But in the end, nothing extraordinary happened, though some could argue the events were extraordinary enough on themselves. The seventh-year boy calmly walked to where they were sitting, smiled at them and offered a hand to the blond, who only hesitantly took it.

"Congratulations. It was a great game, you played very well, the whole team. You deserved the win." James said with a short nod.

"Uh... Thank you."

"You'll be captain next year, right?" The blond boy just nodded. "It's a lot to live up to, winning the Cup this year." He joked, and the students listening to the conversation smiled awkwardly, unsure how to react to the whole situation. "Either way, good luck with that." James smiled before turning around and walking away.

Albus and Scorpius just looked at one another, slightly confused, before shrugging and returning their attention to their full plates and the conversation they were having with the other boys. If that was how things were going to be, they were fine with it.

Once Quidditch was out of the way, they had time to concentrate on school, and with their O.W.L.s approaching, no amount of studying ever seemed enough. All the time Scorpius used to spend down at the pitch now was spent in the library, and with the temperatures rising and more students trying to make up for what they didn't study in the previous months, the room began feeling like a green house, suffocatingly hot.

No matter how many times Albus said it, the blond seemed convinced he didn't know nearly enough to take his O.W.L.s, and there were days when the boy's obsession nearly drove the brunet crazy, forcing him to take drastic measures such as confiscating Scorpius's textbooks for a few hours at a time so he could relax. After all, the tension he was witnessing was making him very worried his boyfriend would fall sick right before the exams started.

There was still one more important event before the school year was over, and Albus thought it would be the perfect way to help lighten the mood a little. For about a month before Scorpius's birthday, the brunet already had plans for the day, and as it didn't include those many hours of sleep, he was very glad it would be a Friday. He needed a little advice from James, who looked at him very suspiciously at him when he asked where was the safest room in the castle for him to spend the night with the blond, but wisely chose not to ask, as the thoughts wouldn't leave his head afterwards, and he didn't want such images burned into his brain. Especially because they concerned his little brother.

That was how Albus learned about the Room of Requirement, which had apparently been destructed during the war and rebuilt for the profit of those students lucky enough to know about its existence. He wanted to test it a little before the big day, and taking advantage of the time he spent (studying) alone in the castle, he took a couple of trips to the seventh floor, and was completely astonished at what the room could provide him. Even after being born and raised in the wizarding world, and all those years studying magic, it didn't cease to amaze him what it was capable of.

Apart from his private surprise, he and the other boys were preparing a little party for the blond, with some smuggled Butter Beers, treats and tricks Thales and Lynus got from the last visit to Hogsmeade and a cake they persuaded the elves to prepare them. They'd invited Frankie, Gabby and Shane as well, but as they weren't sure who else could be trusted, it'd be a pretty small party. Not that Scorpius would wish anyone else there.

They began partying as soon as they returned from dinner (and they'd agreed they'd get to it as soon as possible, so they'd have more time to spend together), and the Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw were very impressed by the looks of the Slytherin common room. Apparently, it was very unique if compared to the other two, and they both loved the idea of being under the lake, lit by the enigmatic green reflections.

The first thing they did was to get the cake out of the way, and after casting a silencing spell over the room, they sang and embarrassed the blond as much as they could, all of them laughing a lot, before the presents were given and they started their second round of Butter Beer. Not that any of them actually expected to get drunk (or even slightly altered) by the beverage, but there was something very exciting about doing something supposedly forbidden. None of them had the courage to try and get a bottle of Firewhisky for the party.

They ended up talking for a couple of hours, laughing more than they remembered doing in a while, especially because of the way tension had mounted now they were just over a month away from their O.W.L.s. It was nearly curfew when they said their goodbyes, and to Scorpius's surprise, the brunet pulled him out of their Common Room as the others left, and the four of them walked together to the Grand Staircase before splitting up and going different directions.

Albus kept looking at his watch, worried about being caught, as most of the hallways were completely empty already. He was also listening very closely for any signs of Mr. Filch or his cat, and told the blond to be quiet at least three times so he could hear properly as he tried to run as quietly as he could, dragging the confused boy with him. After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived on the seventh floor, and both of them bent forward slightly, trying to catch their breaths.

"What are you doing?" Scorpius asked alarmed, looking from one side of the corridor to the other. "We'll get caught, we'll get in trouble!" He urged in a whisper.

The brunet just smiled the way he always did when he was keeping a secret, and began pacing from one side of the hall to the other, to the blond's confusion. After the third time, Scorpius grabbed his arm to make him stop, looking worried and almost angry, and was about to question him again when a door began forming on the wall and his jaw dropped. He tried to say something, anything, but he seemed to have forgotten what words sounded like, and limited himself to close his mouth and look from the door to Albus and back.

"What the..." He began after a couple of minutes to the boy who just stood there smiling.

"It's my birthday present to you." He replied, tilting his head towards the door to encourage the blond to get in.

"Y-You already gave me that new winter coat to play Quidditch in." He replied confused, slowly approaching the door and reaching out a hand to touch it and make sure it was real.

"Yeah, well, that was only part of it." He smiled again. "Well, go on, then. The longer we stay out here, the more likely it is that someone will show up."

Scorpius looked doubtfully at the other boy for a moment before taking a deep breath and turning the handle of the double-sheet wooden door. If he'd been astonished to watch a door appear where there was only solid wall, it was nothing compared to what he felt when he crossed the threshold.

He was standing in an enormous room, which was vaguely divided into three sections: there were some couches around a fireplace on one side, and though the fire was on, the temperature inside the room was perfectly pleasant; there was a big bathtub ahead of him, completely filled and with plenty of bubbles on the surface of the water, and a very subtle perfume that filled the room, just enough to entice their senses; and a large four-pole bed decorated in Slytherin colors on the other side.

Scorpius looked around the room and back at Albus a few times, trying to take it all in.

"Where are we?" He asked in a whisper. There was something about the room that made him afraid of talking too loudly.

"It's called the Room of Requirement." He replied calmly, letting his eyes wander around.

"And why does such a room exist in the castle?"

"Well, technically, this room can be whatever we want it to, so it's not this particular layout that exists all the time. I suppose it could be any sort of room, if we wanted it to."

"And you wanted it to look like this?" He looked at the brunet with an eyebrow raised.

"Well, I just wanted somewhere nice where we could be without anyone bothering us. I have to admit, it sort of exceeded my expectations. I'm still trying to get the hang of this, you know, getting the room to do what I want it to."

"Nice." He replied at last, walking to the couches by the fire and throwing himself on one of them. It was the most comfortable place he'd ever sat on. "And you're sure it's safe in here?"

"Absolutely. Nobody but us can get in." He replied with a smile, receiving one in return as he walked slowly to the other boy. He then dropped the coat he was wearing and left it over the coffee table, his wand resting over it. He wouldn't need it for what he had in mind.

Scorpius followed his example, looking a little confused. "What exactly are you planning?" He asked, standing teasingly just inches away from the other boy.

"I want you to make me completely yours tonight."

* * *

After that night, it was even harder for them to be apart, and somehow they still managed to find some time for themselves between all the studying and the exhaustion caused by the tension and pressure they were under. And as much as they both knew they shouldn't be thinking about anything other than the upcoming exams, it never took much persuading for either of them to give in.

With a week to go before the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s took place, all fifth- and seventh-year students looked more like zombies, and none had escaped at least one trip to the Hospital Wing. Even though it happened every year, and everybody always turned out okay, none of the staff could help worrying and pleading the teenagers to take care of their own health before thinking about anything else. Not that they ever listened.

"It's today." Scorpius whispered even before sitting up in his bed.

"Hm?" He heard the brunet moan beside him, more asleep than awake.

He smiled at himself. "It's time to wake up, Al." He invited gently, leaning over to kiss his cheek, as the boy was turned away from him.

"Five more minutes." He mumbled, and the blond couldn't help giggling.

"Come on, now. You don't want to have to take your first exam without having breakfast first, do you?" He asked as he sat up, before yawning and stretching. The other boy just groaned again, and with a deep breath, Scorpius threw his feet off the bed and got up.

Fifteen minutes later, they were on their way to the Great Hall, very much awake with the anticipation, and the two years taking their big exams were particularly quiet that morning. After everybody was done eating, the room was rearranged with a flick of McGonagall's wand and they were appointed to their seats. The Headmistress took a few minutes to remind them of the rules - time limit, no cheating, no talking and so on -, before their tests were flown to them and they were allowed to begin.

For the following two weeks, that was their routine: breakfast, written test, being harassed by the crowd waiting outside the door and eager to compare answers, lunch, practical exam, reviewing the subject of the next day's exam until dinner, and again after dinner, until their bodies refused to continue and they were forced into bed.

Albus was pacing in front of the door to the Great Hall, waiting impatiently for Scorpius to finish his last exam, the only one that wouldn't be followed by a practical part after lunch. He'd been out for nearly half an hour now, and had compared all his answers with the eager students waiting in the Hall. He stopped walking when the door opened yet again, and his face lit up when he saw the blond boy , and he smiled and tilted his head sideways a little, curiously watching Scorpius walk his way with his head dropped. The blond only stopped dragging his feet once his head hit Albus's shoulder, making the boy laugh softly as he put one arm around Scorpius and reached up with his free hand to play with the platinum-blond locks.

"So? How did it go?" He asked with a smile.

Scorpius groaned. "It was harder than I thought it would be." He replied with a sigh, taking a step back and looking into the green eyes that immediately made him relax. "Can you believe there were actually two questions I wasn't sure about the answer? Two! And when they announced we only had another half hour to finish, I almost freaked out!" He said, agitated, making Albus giggle.

"I'm sure you did great, Scorp." The brunet said, leaving a soft peck on his lips.

"Don't you be all sweet on me!" He complained, pushing the smiley boy away. "This is all your fault, Al! If you hadn't... Kept me so busy, I-"

"Are you complaining about it?" Albus leaned forward and whispered in the blond's ear, his voice low and seductive, sending shivers down Scorpius's spine.

He pushed the brunet away again, blushing and avoiding his eyes. "Of course not! I just meant-"

"Why don't we go put out stuff away? Lunch will be served soon, and I'm starving."

Scorpius just rolled his eyes as he let himself be dragged to the dungeons. There was nearly nobody in the Common Room, and definitely nobody in their dorm - they were all still in class or enjoying the sunny day outside -, so Albus decided to take advantage of the situation and, as soon as they got rid of their backpacks, he threw Scorpius on his bed, lying on his back, and climbed on top of him, one knee on each side of his hips, and pinning his hands down on his pillow.

"Albus, what the-"

"I think you need to relax a little, Scorp." He replied in that tone that immediately put some color on the other boy's cheeks. "I'm going to help you with that." He lowered himself until his lips were brushing Scorpius's and, with a smirk, dodged his attempt of a kiss and went for the boy's neck instead. The blond moaned in a low voice, his eyes fluttering shut and his mind struggling to keep control.

"Al... Somebody..." He started, moving his head to grant the brunet more access. "Somebody... Might come..."

"Is it so?" He teased, the words spoken so close sending vibrations through the sensitive skin of Scorpius's neck, forcing a moan out of the boy.

"Al... What if..."

"Do you like this?" Albus asked before biting him softly.

"Ah... Yes..."

"And this..." He sucked the skin until a nice bruise had formed.

"Yes..." Came his hoarse moan in reply, a few moments later. The brunet lifted himself up again to admire his work and Scorpius opened his eyes darkened with desire. "Al..." Was all he managed to whisper before pulling himself up, Albus meeting his lips halfway into the kiss.

As their tongues played together, alternating mouths, and the kiss intensified, Albus let go of one of the hands he was holding so he could caress Scorpius's chest, finding a nipple after a few moments and playing with it between his thumb and index finger, over blond's shirt, dragging moans out of him. Taking advantage of the recently release hand, Scorpius let it slide down the brunet's back, under his robes, quickly finding the hem of his shirt and sliding his hand back up, skin touching skin.

Without breaking the kiss, Albus managed to get rid of the open robes he still wore, and his tie and shirt soon followed it. He then helped the blond to sit up, resting on his lap and the bulk pressing against him making his own pants feel too tight. In trying to speed up the process, two sets of hands attacked Scorpius's robes, tie and shirt, clumsily ending up taking longer than if only one of them had tackled the task.

Both boys were flustered as they opened their eyes, green meeting silver with a smile, and they were about to resume their activities when a blunt sound to the left caught their attention and they turned their heads simultaneously. Lynus was standing there, his face as red as a pepper and the book he was carrying now on the floor in front of his feet.

"I-I-I'm sorry, I, hm, didn't mean to, I-I'm leaving." He stuttered, finally regaining control of his body and rushing out of the room.

Albus giggled as a very embarrassed Scorpius pushed him out of his lap, grabbing his shirt and putting it back on. "What are you laughing about? I told you it'd happen!" He complained, tossing the brunet's shirt at him.

"Come on, it wasn't that bad." He was still smiling as he got dressed. "Besides, he was enjoying the show, did you notice?"

The blond's cheeks acquired a darker shade of pink as he punched Albus on the shoulder. "Shut up."

"Well, it worked, though, didn't it?" He asked, jumping out of the bed and walking to the book Lynus had forgotten. "You sure did relax." He left the boy's belongings on his bed and headed for the door. "Shall we? I'm starving."

"Shut up." Scorpius complained again, catching up with the brunet as they walked into the Common Room. He was still frowning a little, embarrassed, but couldn't help smiling as Albus grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers. By the end of the week, they were already laughing of the incident.

With the exams finally done, there wasn't much more to do in the castle. They took their time packing and making sure nothing was left behind, and spent long hours enjoying the sun by the lake with the friends they probably wouldn't see for the next two months, talking excitedly about their plans for the summer. The general mood in the school had changed radically, with most students now laughing and chatting everywhere, and even the professors seemed to have relaxed a little. Of course, the other side of that change was that, once the tension had dissipated, the health of plenty of kids became vulnerable and they ended up under the care of Madam Pomfrey for a day or two.

It was a loud trip back to London. Especially after Scorpius's birthday party, Frankie, Gabby, Thales, Lynus and Shane had become good friends as well, and the five of them shared a cabin with Albus and Scorpius, which meant it was a little overcrowded, but they were so busy laughing none of them seemed to care. The Trolley Lady must've been pretty happy to see them, as they all bought a very large assortment of candy to celebrate the end of the school year, and propelled by all the sugar, they talked and joked even more.

As the scarlet train approached King's Cross station, Albus let his eyes wander out the window for a moment, his thoughts tuning out the voices around him. Everything was different from what it was a year ago. Now his parents were separated, and they'd have a chance to be happy again. James was finally the big brother he'd always hoped to have. And Scorpius was his best friend, the love of his life, and would always be by his side. Perhaps things weren't how he'd always imagined, and perhaps they weren't perfect. But Albus wouldn't change a single thing about it.

"Al? Al?" The voice sounded a little distant, and the brunet shook his head a little, smiling. "Are you okay?" Scorpius asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, sure." He nodded.

"Well, we're here. It's time to go."

He smiled again, looking around the cabin, where the others were taking their luggage down and heading into the corridor. "See you guys in two months." He wished, as the first one of them turned to wave from the door.

"Yeah, you bet."

_**Finis**_

* * *

**Author's Note**: This is it! After months, the story is finally done. I'd like to thank everybody who patiently made this journey with me; it meant a lot to me. Thank you to all my readers who left me reviews, anon or not, and to all those who didn't as well. You inspire me to keep writing, and to keep improving myself. I hope we see each other again soon!

**P.s. **Kate, I already have :) Go check my profile!


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